Hitman
by MiyaChama
Summary: Raven haired sharp shooter: codename X2. The only thing colder than this famed assassin's blood is his icy heart, but when his newest target is revealed old flames may be rekindled and old wounds are opened. Who will take the bullet? NaruSasu. AU.
1. The Blues

**Chapter One**

**The Blues**

Moonlight streamed through the top floor apartment window pane and shimmered as it hit the glass of vodka; dancing across the pure crystalline liquid as it was swilled from side to side, and then brought into shadows as it was raised to tense lips.

City moonlight never looked real, he thought moodily. It was tainted by the artificial lights of a million homes and even on a clear night you couldn't see the stars for all the smoke. Not like the country he grew up in; the tiny village where if you climbed to the highest tree branch and parted the canopy of leaves you'd be treated to a feast of visual splendour; a symphony of the heavens lit up in all its natural celestial glory and watching over the still, quietness of the woods.

God how he missed those days, but he wasn't the sentimental type, so he pushed the thought away with revulsion. He knocked back the drink quickly enjoying the fire down his throat; the numbness that slowly seeped through his muscles, taught from the evening's activities, and reached for his cell phone.

He snapped it open in the shaft of moonbeams; the only source of light in the room, and the green glow illuminated his face. He started a text message and wrote only four words;

_Job done. Wire money._

He pressed send and grimaced. A job like any other. When did it become so damn easy? He snapped the cell shut again and tucked it away into the pocket of his black jeans. Still holding the glass he moved over to the TV, and passed the mirror on the way. The motion of his own image startled him for a second and his hand impulsively flew to his holster, before he realised what he was doing and snorted at his own paranoia. Like anyone could ever get into his apartment unnoticed.

He regarded his own face, and mused that even years after moving to the city, after starting this occupation, it was like staring at a stranger. Not being the vain sort he never spent long on his image short of shaving each morning; he didn't need to. He supposed from women's reactions when he did occasionally venture down town out of necessity that he was good looking, but his own bitter sense of self loathing took care of any confidence these attentions might have sparked.

Steely black eyes, flat yet as sharp as flint, gazed back at him blankly, and his pale skin was ghostly in the twilight. His hair, raven black and darker than the night itself, stuck up wildly at the back and fell to his high cheekbones at the front. He knew he should cut it; he didn't want it getting in his eyes on the job, but he never seemed to muster the enthusiasm. His expression was as remote and cold as ever, and it made him sick to look at.

He perched on the edge of his leather chaise longue, refilled his glass from the bottle constantly present on the glass coffee table, and flicked on the TV. Nothing interesting was on, though he almost stopped on a comedy game show before catching himself.

The nostalgia had made him ache; it had been his ex-lover's favourite show, but his conscience woke up with a start and began to beat the holy crap out of him.

'_What the hell are you thinking,_' it screamed, '_are you that fucked up that you can take a man's life one hour and be laughing at a game show like a normal guy the next? You're not normal and you never will be. Quit pretending._'

It was true, even after all this time of killing for necessity, for money, he was unable to fully remove himself from the gravity of his actions. Even after a successful job he refused to act cheerful or join the others in his organisation in a celebratory night out; he simply couldn't do it. He mourned the loss of each soul, and the fragmenting of his own, by returning to his apartment in silence and spending the evening numbing the pain.

He'd tried taking women back to his spacious, modern apartment; seducing them was easy, but casual sex as a hobby just wasn't fulfilling and only reminded him of what he missed most greatly. God how he missed him…but nostalgic thoughts weren't allowed, he reminded himself, whacking his own head lightly with the TV remote.

He nearly dropped it, startled, as his cell vibrated. He retrieved it and read the new message, again the eerie green glow of the screen shining in his face.

_New job. Good price. Local. U in?_

He smirked. Of course he was in, it paid, didn't it? And yet, even as he set the cell on the table beside the nearly empty vodka bottle and leaned back into the soft leather, he found himself able to switch off the TV but unable to switch off his own thoughts. One in particular was flickering in his drowsy mind like a hazy memory; a vision of blue eyes and blonde hair.

'It's not like I was going to get any sleep anyway,' he grumped.

* * *

Hey there everyone, this is technically my first fanfic so please be gentle with me!! This intro chapter follows the uber luvly Sasuke, in case that wasn't obvious. I'm trying this out as a oneshot, but if people like it I shall continue. Hell, I might continue anyway, since this premise is really fun. Please, PLEASE review and tell me what you think! :hugs: thankyou!


	2. Hookers and Heartache

Okay, looks like this might be an ongoing thing! (nervous laugh) I'm going for film noir-esque as well as fanservice, so please bear with me. The juicy yaoi bits may be pushed back a few chapters til mood has been established ^^;; Anyways! Thankyou everyone for the positive responses I've had so far, the faves and reviews especially. Keep the comments and/or criticism comin, and we'll find out together how this thing plays out :3

(Quick note-I would like to offer apologies to any Sakura and Ino fans who may take offence reading this chapter! I do like both characters and their role in this is largely due to my slightly twisted sense of humour *cue maniacal laughter* Hinata will appear at some point, but I like her more, so she'll get a better role. Them's the breaks :P)

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Hookers and Heartache**

He had been walking now for some time. A silvery crescent moon hung in the cloudless sky, illuminating the dark streets and silently observing the crime about to be committed. His boots splashed in the occasional puddle as he stalked by; it had rained last night. He liked the rain, especially the fresh, clean smell after all the miseries had been washed away, down the gutters and drains of the dirty metropolis. Rain offered a curtain of tranquillity and silence; it blanketed his crimes and then cleansed away the blood. The rain couldn't heal his heart though.

Even after growing accustomed to the city he preferred to move on foot. Taking a cab in his profession was too risky, and he hated trying to drive through the tangled web of intersections in the inner city. His body was and always had been his only trusted ally and most dependable form of transportation. When he'd been leaping through the tree branches of the forest or performing ju-jitsu against cut-throat opponents wielding kunai he hadn't needed a car, and he didn't need one now in this steel jungle he called home. Some things had changed though. His beloved pistol with its silencer was now his weapon of choice; he considered anything less to be primitive. There was something deliciously impersonal in shooting your target long range and then calmly walking away, as opposed to the strength and passion required to hurl knives at them. He'd lacked passion for a long time now.

The desired apartment block was coming up; it didn't look all that different from his except that obviously his was on the upper side, and far more expensive. There was a doorman out in front, as he'd expected, and knew exactly what to do. Slipping by the greying man in his smart blue coat unnoticed, he made his way down the street to where a young woman about his age was loitering on the corner.

He adjusted his tinted black sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, but didn't take them off. She had long, dirty, creamy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, and watery blue eyes that darted from side to side like a snake; always wary, always on the lookout for her prey. She spied him coming her way, and though a grin eased across her hard mouth it didn't make her look youthful; it just made her look sinister. He tipped his head and lowered the shades just enough for her to catch the look in his eyes; affirmation, and she bounded up to him.

Her outfit left little to the imagination anyway and with this motion he was thankful her breasts didn't fly out of her low cut top altogether. She took his arm, positively beaming, and he eyed her coldly. She was fresher than most of the woman of this area, but she still didn't arouse his interest in the slightest.

'Hi honey,' she cooed. 'You're a new face. You want some company?'

He gestured toward the building behind them, and then spoke in a low tone. 'You live here?'

'Sure do; not a bad place at all, is it? You can even stay the night if you like. Entertainment and accommodation all at a great price…compared to the competition.'

She pulled a face at a pink haired street girl lurking on the other side of the road, and then made a shooing motion as though she were getting rid of an unwanted cat. The pink haired girl sent her a very unpleasant hand gesture and screamed a few rapid fire choice words that young women that age shouldn't usually know, before stomping away.

'They're like vultures,' she snapped, before turning back to him.

She leaned against him, and he obligingly put his hands around her waist, his expression not changing in the slightest.

'How much for one night?'

She told him, and then pouted her red lips. 'Cash up front of course. Not that I don't trust you, but you can't be too careful in my business.'

He nodded. The money wasn't an issue; he'd be earning it back hundredfold if he could get access to that building. Her eyes bulged from their sockets as he pulled out a wad of dollar bills from his back pocket, and as he handed her the correct amount plus tip she snatched it greedily.

'So what's your name, or do I just call you honey all night?' she teased, as they walked back to the doorman.

He ignored this comment.

'The strong and silent type, huh? Well, my name is Ino.'

Though no emotion showed on his stony face inwardly he raised an eyebrow. It almost sounded Japanese; what a coincidence.

'It's not my real name of course,' she continued, 'but my regulars seem to think it's cute. Very geisha-like and fashionable. Do you like it?'

'It's fine,' he said.

His coal black eyes were now on the doorman as they approached. As he'd hoped the older man barely even looked their way as he let them in; he must be used to Ino bringing a countless flood of men home and knew better than to pry. It was the perfect way in; with so many men going back and forth there was no way he, incognito with his dark shades and the collar of his jacket pulled over his lower face in the cold weather, would stand out.

He allowed Ino to tug him into the elevator, and was barely able to hold her advances back in the confined, private space as they travelled upwards.

'Cool customer, aren't you?' she muttered as he pushed her away for the tenth time. 'Most of them can't keep their hands off me.'

As they stopped at the ninth floor and she wandered out, pulling him along behind her, he removed his hand from hers.

'I've changed my mind,' he said quietly.

Ino gave him a searching, wary look. 'I don't do refunds, honey.'

'Keep it.' He turned away, and she called after him.

'Are you sure, honey? That's an expensive change of heart. You look like you could use a good time.'

He disappeared down the stairs, and she stared after him for only a moment before pulling out her money and fanning through it, just to be sure it was real.

'What a strange guy,' she murmured, and shrugging, went back into her apartment. She'd earned enough for one night.

His breathing shallow, almost silent, he was one with the murky shadows as he reached the floor he needed. There was no light shining from under the door and no sounds coming from within. It was just gone 1:30am after all; most normal people were asleep at this hour. He removed his shades. Picking the lock was almost a joke to his skilled hands, and slipping his gun silently from its holster he stepped inside the home of his target. He crept down the corridor, pressed his back to the wall, and gun first he furtively swooped around the corner and glanced into the tiny living room/kitchen.

All was silent and peaceful, if very messy. Horrendously messy. Even with only the moonlight revealing the cramped little room, he could see his target lived like a pig. Bags of half eaten potato chips, never-ending trash bags filled with discarded paper coffee cups and a shockingly high stack of empty instant ramen noodle containers that might actually be a safety hazard if they got any closer to the ceiling, littered the space and made any sign of a couch or chairs invisible. It was a far cry from his stylish, classy, minimalist room.

Inwardly he felt a stab of disgust and at the very same time a curiously odd sense of familiarity, but he had as job to do. Moving like a panther in the gloom he reached his destination; the bedroom, and while one hands squeezed the doorknob another squeezed the trigger. It opened an inch; neither the hinges nor the floorboards creaked, and he pursued. As soon as it was open enough for him to slip through, he scanned the room.

A figure was undoubtedly laying in the bed, a snoring lump in the duvet; his desired target. How thrilling it was, what a terrible adrenaline rush to be a voyeur; a trespasser in the bedroom of another, holding a gun to their unsuspecting head. The palpable tension raised the hairs on the back of his neck and he licked his dry lips. He raised the heavy pistol in his hand and released the safety with a barely audible click. A simple execution was his favourite style-no muss, no fuss, and he didn't have to see their glassy expression as they died. That was what he hated most. It reminded him of his family.

But what was this? A wave of scent reached his nostrils, and stopped his heart in his chest. His throat squeezed even more tightly than his clammy hand around the pistol, and he tried to sort the conflicting emotions in his head. It was dizzying.

'_What's wrong with me?_' he thought madly. '_Millions of guys in the world must use this aftershave. Focus. Focus, dammit._'

But the scent would only ever mean one thing…one person to him, and his vision was blurring as droplets of sweat fell into his eyes. He couldn't do it. For the first time in his career he couldn't go through with his mission, and all because of aftershave? Frustrated with himself he forced his shaking hands to raise the gun once more, level it to the target's tousled head, just peeking out of the blankets, but he couldn't force himself to shoot. To his horror, at that exact moment, he realised he'd been so focused on his inner thoughts he hadn't heard the snoring stop.

Silence filled the room, pressing down on his ears, and as he watched, stupefied, the target raised his upper body from the tangle of bed clothes and blinked sleepily at him. Was this some kind of joke; a nasty, hangover induced dream? No, it was all painfully real. He stared at his target, and the young man stared back. A shaft of silver danced its way through the curtains and lit up the kid's face. Those ocean blue eyes, almost the colour of a hyacinth in bloom, gazed at him with round wonder. Even that goddamned froggy t-shirt that made him look like a pre-schooler; there it was, rumpled from sleep. How many arguments had they had about that shirt?

'_I'm not sleeping next to you if you insist on wearing that._'

'_But I love this shirt!_'

'_I'll be going home then._'

'_Ah-no, wait. I'll sleep without it, if you promise to keep me warm?_'

Such stupid nostalgia, yet the heartache was overwhelming.

The kid raised a hand-the hand that had held his own so many times-and rubbed his eyes as though he wasn't sure what he was seeing. He squinted down the barrel of the gun.

'Sasuke?' he asked drowsy awe.


	3. Morning Mist

**Chapter Three**

**Morning Mist**

'Sasuke! Is it you?'

The cheerful voice, husky from sleep, carried eagerness, hope, and the target jumped from the bed with a thud and started towards him. He was wondering the same. Was it him? Was it really Naruto?

'Fucking hell, it's really you! I'm so happy to see ya!' He was speaking in Japanese.

Panicked, confused, and backed into a corner, Sasuke did the only thing he knew how. Instinct took over.

'Stay back!' he rapped out in English, raising the gun. He took a few deep, gulping breaths, but they did little to calm his pounding heartbeat or his wild thoughts. He was badly rattled. 'Don't start anything!'

The blonde young man peered at the gun as though noticing it for the first time, then raised his eyes back to Sasuke's pinched face.

'Sasuke?' How he wished he wouldn't keep using his name. It did unspeakable things to his insides. 'What's with the gun? You don't need that around me.'

Naruto stepped forward again, and promptly found the barrel of the pistol shoved mercilessly into his mouth.

'I told you to stay back,' hissed Sasuke, his eyes gleaming in the shadows.

'_Seems the dumbass finally got the message,_' he thought with grim satisfaction, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge at the bewildered sorrow that came into Naruto's eyes. It was like kicking a puppy. He was obviously hurt that Sasuke wouldn't talk to him in Japanese. When they'd first come to America all those years ago they'd only spoken to each other in their first language. It was like they were in a private club that no-one else could join, and his refusal to speak it now drove a wedge between them.

Naruto help up his hands in a gesture of surrender and slowly, smoothly, Sasuke removed the gun. It now dripped with a globule of saliva, and pulling a face he wiped it on his coat.

'Nice hello after all this time, you bastard. I didn't think I'd see you again,' added Naruto in softer tones, submitting and switching to English. 'I was told…you were dead.'

He was silent for a long time.

'I am dead,' he said darkly. 'I died long ago.'

Quite used to these grim, enigmatic announcements, Naruto actually grinned. 'You haven't changed.'

Sasuke sneered disdainfully at the froggy t-shirt. 'Neither have you,' he grunted. 'You're still a dumbass.'

Naruto flushed indignantly and crossed his arms in front of the smiling frog. 'And you're still a bastard!'

This exchange was familiar to both of them, but while Naruto began to chuckle Sasuke suddenly realised what he was doing…and remembered why he was there. The thought shocked him to the core. Naruto was his target. Someone wanted him dead, and Sasuke was supposed to do the killing. This was insane.

'You look thin. Have you been eating okay?'

Naruto was getting closer again now, and when Sasuke levelled the gun he put his hand on it and pushed it to the side. As he came up Sasuke gulped. The kid's messy golden waves of hair framed his solemn face, his eyes were concerned, and there was that subtle scent again; the aftershave he was wearing.

Their lips were inches apart in the twilight, and a violent stab of desire tore through him, something he had hoped would torment him no longer. It was so tempting to…but no. He couldn't. It had caused them both enough pain last time.

'Why are you creeping around here at night, all dressed in black with a gun? What the hell are you these days, a burglar?'

'_No, I'm worse,_' thought Sasuke, blinking into those oceanic depths. '_I came here to blow your head off. Still want to make small talk now?_'

Naruto tilted his round face to one side, expecting an answer and looking very cute. Despite being older, taller, than their last meeting he looked as damn cute as ever.

He touched the black clad, broad chest tentatively with one hand and Sasuke felt a spasm ricocheting through every muscle in his body. He could feel heat spreading up his throat to his cheeks, and he realised his mask of indifference had fallen away. He cleared his throat, impassive once more, and turned away.

'I'm going,' he muttered, impressed at how flat his voice sounded; it betrayed not a hint of the emotion that was choking him.

'What? Come on you selfish bastard, you can't just wake me up in the middle of the night, shove a gun down my throat and then waltz off again!' This angry cry was followed by a tugging at his jacket.

He threw off Naruto's touch with a shrug of his shoulders, and slipping his gun back into place he moved swiftly out of the door. Footsteps thundered behind him and he cringed; despite being scrawny as hell the kid never could move without crashing about like an elephant.

'Oi! If I say you're not leaving, then you're not leaving!'

'And since when were you ever in charge of me?!' snarled Sasuke, uncharacteristically losing his cool. He spun on his heel and faced Naruto down with a humourless smirk, his eyes flashing. 'I'm not who I was. Those days are gone. Got it?'

The passionate vehemence in his voice made the blonde flinch. His dominance was never more prominent than in that second, and Naruto glared helplessly.

'Seems to me like you're exactly who you used to be,' he whispered. 'Go ahead and leave. Wouldn't be the first time.'

Sasuke realised with a pang that they'd had fights like this so many times. The first ever night when he'd stayed and the last…when he'd walked out and never looked back.

From the blush on his ex-lover's freckled cheeks Sasuke could tell he was thinking of those times too. God, how it seemed like yesterday, but it was a stupid mistake to even remember it. Memories meant nothing. He shook his head miserably.

'I'm going,' he repeated. 'Forget you ever saw me here. And don't,' he added as Naruto's mouth opened in protest, 'try to find me.'

He left, and the slamming of the door echoed through the night. Never one to take orders Naruto wrenched the door open and skidded out wearing just the t-shirt and boxers and desperately looked around.

He had so many questions left unanswered…but the assassin had vanished like the early morning mist.


	4. 3AM

**Chapter Four**

**3AM**

The digital clock read 3AM, and still Sasuke sat on the lounger; glass in hand, wondering what the hell had just happened. The world had turned upside down, and sitting around brooding about it wasn't doing any good.

Feeling jittery and morose he needed to take action, and could think of only one figure in his underground organisation-Akatsuki-who might have some answers.

The cell was cold against his ear, but the ringing tone was comforting, purring. A woman's voice, chilly as the night air and just as uninviting, came over the line.

'This had better be an emergency, X2.'

Though she couldn't see him, he gave his trademark smirk.

'Oh, it is, Tsunade. Hope I didn't disturb you and Jiraiya.'

He could practically hear her breathing fire over the phone line, and she exhaled deeply making the connection crackle.

'How much have you had to drink tonight?' she asked, noticing the slur in his voice.

Irritated that she knew his weakness, he shoved the vodka bottle out of sight with his elbow. He never usually drank to such an excess; that would be stupid in a profession where a sharp mind and sharp reflexes were essential, but with those baby blues and that aftershave still haunting him he'd badly needed something to take the edge off. He hadn't even realised he was drunk until that stupid remark flew out of his mouth. That would cost him. No-one spoke to the boss like that and got away without their next pay packet turning up distinctly lighter.

'How much money you lost in the slots tonight?' he returned spitefully, figuring the damage had already been done.

'Get to the point, X2!' Tsunade barked.

His onyx eyes glittered in the darkness. 'What do you know about that new job you passed onto me?'

She was quiet, thinking.

'Less than you do; I just hand the work out, I don't ask questions. You know our patrons don't exactly leave their home address and number.'

He leaned forward on the leather, resting his chin on his hands. 'I need information, Tsunade. Because whoever gave us that job wants Naruto Uzumaki dead.'

He had to give her credit; she didn't miss a beat.

'Your Naruto? Are you sure?'

He coloured angrily.

'He's not my Naruto, Tsunade. And yeah, I broke into the guy's apartment and jammed a pistol down his throat, so I'm pretty damn sure.'

'Don't get sarcastic with me, X2,' she snapped. 'So did you finish the job?'

'What? No, of course not. He was one of our own-'

'No, he was one of the Anbu special ops, before we broke away. He has never been part of Akatsuki, and even if he was, you have a contract.'

'For God's sake Tsunade-'

'Now you listen to me, X2,' she said, and the cold viciousness in her voice chilled him. 'We are all aware of your nickname…Times Two…twice the assassin than any other hitman in the business. We are thrilled to have you on our payroll. But you are only as good as your last job. If you mess things up you stand alone. You've know that all along.'

Unable to answer, he squeezed his eyes shut.

'X2,' she said, her voice softening somewhat, 'if this job is too much for you I can pass it on to Neji, or Kiba. The man who hired you need never know it wasn't you who pulled the trigger.'

He shook his head in disbelief. She was completely missing the point. It was true that Naruto had been a part of the Anbu, but he'd quit long ago. He'd never killed anyone, never made any enemies. Who in the world could want him dead enough to put a price on his head like a common criminal?

'I'll handle this,' he said quickly, not wanting any of his sadistic colleagues anywhere near Naruto.

'I trust you,' said Tsunade, 'as I have trusted you before.'

'Can you find out who gave us this job?'

That was the 32 thousand dollar question, and as he'd suspected, she was silent again before answering. 'I can look into it and get back to you, but don't get your hopes up.' She paused. 'You know X2, there's a really good alcoholics anonymous group I know of-'

'Did you hear about it at your gamblers anonymous group?' he spat, and hung up. The hypocritical bitch. He considered throwing the phone against the wall, but it was new and sleek and he was rather fond of it, so he settled for the glass instead.

It made a very gratifying smashing sound as smithereens of glass sunk into his plush carpeting.

Why would anyone want Naruto dead? And was Tsunade in on it? He had to find out.

-

The tiny digits in the bottom right-hand screen of his laptop read 3AM. Naruto's fingers; poised and motionless, lingering a hair's breath above the keyboard, gave up and laced behind his tousled blonde head as he yawned. He couldn't write now. He had too much on his mind.

After Sasuke's impromptu visit he'd paced every room feeling nervy and energised, so he'd tried to put it to good use…but to no avail. He grimaced at distinct lack of typing on the word processor; his new chapter was due Monday morning and he didn't want to let his editor down again. She was so kind and patient with him but he knew it shaved ten years off her life every time he missed another deadline.

His editor was sweet and pretty, just the right age for him, but every time he thought of asking her out something got in the way. It wasn't professionalism-that word wasn't in his vocabulary-it was something else. A tall, firm something with black hair and blacker eyes. He'd entered his life again after all this time, but why? For what purpose?

He lifted his hand under his beloved froggy shirt and scratched his chest thoughtfully. Sasuke was like a bagel when you tried to defrost it too fast, he mused. If you stuck it in the microwave oven and nuked it for thirty seconds the outsides were still cold but the inside was boiling hot and really sweet. You just had to bite past all the frosty bits to get to it.

He grinned at his own sucky metaphor, and clicked the 'shut down' button with a sigh. He wasn't going to win any awards for writing like that.

* * *

And so ze plot thickens X3 ahaha, yes, Naruto is a writer. If you saw that one coming...you're LYING XD oh, and you get a cookie if you can guess who his editor is. Nihaha :3 As always, thanks for the interest :hugs you all* and please review!


	5. Taken Down

_Hi my lovelies, welcome to the nightly installment :D I've said it before...I worry about my ability to write action scenes, so I hope this chapter is okay. No more updates coming til the weekend-sorry! T___T-but I'll try to make it worth waiting for, wink wink XD_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**Taken Down**

As purple streaks began to darken the late afternoon skies, Sasuke shifted on his haunches and watched with the patience of a tree. A green Mustang pulling up to the curb caught his attention, and from his position on the rooftop he raised binoculars to his eyes, ringed from lack of sleep.

A pulsing, crippling headache was still punishing him for the night before, and his usually eagle eyes vision needed assistance. He was glad of the distraction; anything to get him out of that stuffy room where the devastating, taunting dreams of things that had been were eating him alive. He wanted to throw himself into his work, if only for a bit, but his body wasn't as willing as his mind. Every muscle ached dully, and his throat was so swollen it was getting hard to swallow. It felt like a herd of elephants were stampeding on his skull, trampling it to flat little pieces under their huge, stamping feet. If this was a hangover, he thought, it ought to be in the record books.

_Target: confirmed._

It seemed easy enough. But as he raised the rifle; the one he held back for long range missions, and the man's dark head bobbed right into the centre of the bull's eye, something went amiss. The man stumbled but Sasuke's finger had already squeezed the trigger-too late to stop.

He cursed as the bullet hit the stone wall below, and one of the man's bodyguards; a huge clunky, men-in-black type noticed and started raising hell. The lot of them were obviously well trained too, because they'd quickly calculated the angle of the hit and were now looking in his direction. He ducked quickly, just as a bullet whizzed by his head.

'Shit.'

The worse case scenario was unfolding with unreal speed; he could already hear them breaking down the door below. They'd be in the abandoned building soon enough.

Leaving the gun; it was untraceable and didn't have his prints on, he moved swiftly to the edge of the building and prepared to leap.

Two failed jobs in twenty four hours. It was fair to say his amazingly successful career was unravelling around his ears, and he blamed only one person.

He hit the roof and rolled as he'd been trained to, and as he scrambled to his feet the air around him became rife with flying bullets. Sliding his baby from its holster he took aim at the guys-they really did look like feds-and took three of them out with one shell each; clean hits to the heart performed with cheetah like speed and terrifying accuracy that only comes through experience.

There was a sound behind him, and as a horrendous burn tore through his shoulder he berated himself for not keeping an eye out on both sides. He couldn't understand what the hell was wrong with him; exhaustion slowed his reactions and it was as though his razor sharp impulses had dulled over night.

The bastard who'd hit his shoulder was still merrily firing away with his machine gun, but Sasuke was too quick. He danced, light footed, around the spray of slugs and reached the guy in seconds. The stutter of the gun aimed into the air out of panic, and Sasuke pressed the barrel of his pistol to the guy's chin.

A single shot rang out, making a nearby flock of pigeons who were resting in the guttering take flight, and breathing heavily he dropped to his knees, grimacing at the splatter of human debris on his cheek and clothes. The smell made him sick to his stomach, and the burning in his shoulder was getting worse.

Knowing reinforcements would soon come he disappeared swiftly into the growing twilight.

-

The first stars were in the sky as he paused for breath in the alleyway. He was furious with himself, and he couldn't even tell whether the uncontrollable trembling ripping through his body was from rage, or from the pain. He'd never been hurt this badly on a job before, and he was unsure what move to make next. He felt really sick now, so nauseous that his vision was beginning to swim, and the burning in his shoulder had spread to his chest and head. He felt as though he were on fire.

Hospital was a no-go. They asked too many questions. He had a first aid kit back at his apartment, but it seemed such a long way away. He didn't think he'd make it, and he couldn't afford causing a scene by collapsing in public on the way there.

This was the time when the loneliness of his world really set in. He valued his independence-who didn't?-but it really was kind of sad when you woke up one day and realised that nobody in the world cared if you lived or died. Wasn't there anybody in the whole city that gave a damn about him?

And completely of their own accord, without getting consent from his proud, stubborn heart, his legs began to take him forward.

-

Naruto inhaled the delicious smell of ramen with a big cheerful grin, and his stomach gave an appreciative growl.

'Itadakimasu!' he said happily out of habit, and began to dig in.

It had been a surprisingly good day. After hours of begging, cajoling and on-his-knees pleading he'd managed to talk his editor into giving him one more day to work out the details of that chapter, which in his mind gave him the rest of the evening to goof off, and he would resume worrying about that deadline when it rolled around again tomorrow. Why put off til tomorrow what you can put off til the day after?

He slurped hungrily, enjoying the oh-so-simple culinary masterpiece that was instant noodles.

The only thing dampening his sunny spirits was the recollection of the night before. It almost seemed like a nightmare now, and Naruto began to wonder if it had really happened. Sasuke had left no trace of himself; it was like he was never there.

'Except he was here,' he whispered, lowering the chopsticks and squeezing the fingers of his right hand. Hadn't those very fingertips brushed Sasuke's chest last night?

The loud bang of an opening door clapped through the apartment and Naruto jumped to his feet, spilling the hot water of the ramen everywhere. He spun around and his jaw fell open in surprise. Staggering into the room and looking like death warmed up, was Sasuke Uchiha.

-

'Sasuke…my god…'

His dark eyes flashing, Sasuke lurched towards him.

'_You,_' he growled.

'Huh?'

Naruto blinked in bewilderment, still recovering from Sasuke's presence in the room when moments before he'd been considering the whole thing a phantom-like vision. The joy at seeing him again was short lived as he noted that Sasuke's raven hair clung to his pale forehead with beads of glistening sweat, and the only colour in his face was his flushed pink cheeks.

'What's wrong with you?' he asked nervously. 'You look like shit.'

'_YOU!_'

This time it wasn't a growl so much as a roar, and Sasuke crossed the room in two rapid movements, pressing the defenceless Naruto to the wall with one hand and whipping out his pistol with the other.

'It's your fault,' he muttered fiercely, 'it your damn fault I'm like this. I hate you! I fucking hate you!'

'Cut it out, you're not making any se-'

His angry cry faded to a whimper as Sasuke's nose brushed his, hot breath grazing his lips like a summer breeze.

'Its your fault,' he repeated, but this time there was a plaintive quality about the words and Naruto tried, as he had many times, to decode what Sasuke was really saying.

Before he could raise a guess Sasuke's eyelids fluttered shut, breaking off that intense ebony glare, and his chin nodded onto Naruto's shoulder. His entire body sagged against him, and bending his knees Naruto caught him as he fell.

Through the back leather jacket his hand touched blood, and Naruto took a sharp intake of breath.

'Jesus,' he whispered, 'you're bleeding.' Sure enough his flooring was splattered with crimson; a trail from the still open doorway to where Sasuke now lay nearly unconscious in his arms.

'You stupid bastard,' he cried, 'why didn't you say you were wounded? And you're burning up too; are you suicidal or what?'

Those eyes, deeper and more devastating than a black hole in a galaxy, opened narrowly, just enough to give him an indignant glare, before they rolled upwards in a dead faint.


	6. Memento Mori One

**Chapter Six**

**Memento Mori-One**

He was trapped in a burning building. At least, that's what it seemed like. The stifling hot hair pressed down on his skin, branding it, and he couldn't form any words; only a vague choking sound from the back of his thick throat. He supposed it was smoke inhalation. His eyelids felt like lead, too heavy to raise, but it was in his nature to react to danger so he forced them open.

Immediately he regretted it. As he dredged his mind from the scolding, simmering heat the ceiling swam before him; unknown and strange, and alarm bells began to ring deep within.

He didn't know where he was, and something was very wrong. With incredible effort he turned his head slightly to the left and observed the room. He could swear his neck creaked as it moved; it felt stiff and brittle. He blinked furiously, trying to bring things into focus, but still the furniture careened around in its own orbital system and the movement was making him dizzy. He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying desperately to hold on to his sanity and ignore the overwhelming need to throw up. A low groan escaped his parched lips.

Suddenly he heard an echo, as though a voice was calling him from very far away. He opened his eyes again and was dimly aware of a face looming over him. A familiar face. He relaxed somewhat. No immediate threat.

'Sasuke?' it asked loudly, and the sound seemed to resonate in his head, making his thumping migraine ten times worse.

He grimaced, and the speaker must have guessed his discomfort because the voice quietened. Anxious blue eyes hovered about a foot from his face.

'Thank god you're alive,' it whispered. 'Can you hear me?'

He groaned softly again, but the voice didn't wait for a coherent answer.

'I got the bullet out and stitched your wound, but your fever hasn't broken yet. Herbal medicine can only do so much, ya know. If you get any worse I'm gonna call an ambulance.'

Even weak and subdued these words sank in enough to cause a response. Though the exertion brought tears to his eyes, he shook his head grimly and whimpered from the pain. It felt like he was being boiled alive, and yet the shivering wouldn't stop. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling sharply, and he couldn't talk as hard as he tried.

'You're so damn stubborn!' protested the voice, rising again. 'If you wanted to crawl away and die, why don't you do it somewhere else?'

The pain was too great to speak now, and he surrendered to the sweet darkness, the enticing cloud of sleep that was calling him. Before he drifted off the last thing he felt was something cool pressed to his forehead; delicious relief from the fever raging through his system, just like the waters of a crystal clear ocean.

Someone was stroking his hair in a tender, affectionate way, and he blissfully allowed his exhaustion to take over.

-

The next time he came to he was lying on his side, his dry mouth half open and pressed into a pillow. One curtain was pulled back, allowing mid morning light into the room, and the first thing he saw was a desk, opposite the bed. His vision focused, and his eyes scanned it slowly. There was a laptop pc, a reading lamp, a printer, and hanging on the wall behind it all was a poster; that annoying cat still swinging from the tree branch after all these years with the words 'hang in there baby!' declared in bold beneath it. Ugh. Bad taste much?

He cleared his throat, smacking his lips together, and pulled a face. His mouth had the flavour of ash off a funeral pyre, and was drier than the sand in a dessert. He felt like it'd been shoved full of cotton wool, and though he was no longer burning he still felt weak and shivery. His head wasn't pounding, but his mental capacity didn't feel any bigger than the stapler sitting on the desk. He rubbed his eyes drowsily, trying to get his bearings.

The night before came back to him, and he sat up and grabbed for his shoulder, his eyes widening. He ran his slender fingers underneath the bandage that was tightly but gently wound around his chest, and felt his lips pull up in a smirk at the stitches beneath it. A searing pain still rippled through his left arm when he tried to move it but it could've been worse, and he'd never been more grateful that medical training had been part of the Anbu's tuition. Still, it stung his ego badly that he'd been so vulnerable, so helpless, and of all people to go to for help he'd chosen-

A voice from the doorway made him start.

'You're awake!' it said cheerfully.

He turned to see Naruto, now fully dressed in jeans and an orange shirt, beaming at him. Sasuke frowned. He really was out of sorts if he couldn't even hear _him_ coming.

Ignoring the dirty look being given him Naruto strode over and pressed his hand to Sasuke's forehead. The assassin's lips twitched in a snarl, and it was only when he reached automatically for his gun he realised it wasn't there.

'Looking for this?' Naruto took the offending object from behind his back and dangled it before Sasuke, who snatched for it. Naruto pulled it away out of reach again.

'Guns aren't toys,' he said teasingly, though his eyes were unusually serious.

'Give it back,' growled Sasuke, feeling naked without his precious pistol. These were the first words out of his mouth, and he was alarmed at how hoarse he sounded.

'Not until you're well enough to use it properly. I don't want you to go shooting me by accident in a fit of deliria.'

Too tired to argue, Sasuke settled for a piercing glare that suggested if he were to shoot it certainly wouldn't be an accident. Naruto just smiled easily and set the gun down on the desk.

'Your wound wasn't too bad; the bullet just grazed your shoulder. You're lucky; a few inches down and it could have caused some serious damage.'

Sasuke ignored him, glaring pointedly out of the window.

Naruto's patience was wearing thin, but he tried his hardest to be nice. 'Do you need anything?' he asked kindly, sitting beside him on the bed.

Sasuke's glower didn't budge. 'Get me water.'

'You could say please.'

'You could kiss my ass.'

'What the hell is your problem?' Naruto exploded. 'You're in my house, bleeding all over my floor, getting me to take care of you all night, and you're still being a smug, self conceited bastard!'

'I didn't ask you to take care of me,' snapped Sasuke, and Naruto punched his fist into the mattress in impatience.

'No, I'm supposed to ignore the guy who bursts into my apartment and throws himself into my arms.'

His fury reached boiling point at this comment, and he felt his cheeks turn hot. 'Shut the hell up, dumbass!'

'Ooh, good comeback.'

Sasuke felt like throwing something at Naruto's big, stupid, annoyingly attractively ever tousled head, but there was nothing within reach and his shoulder didn't feel too good anyway. He just snorted and fixed his eyes out of the window. God how he hated being this weak.

'You shouldn't push yourself so hard all the time. You're only human. I know you, Sasuke. You were the same back then.'

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at this soft tone, turning back, and gasped audibly as Naruto pressed his cool palm to his forehead once more.

'I think your fever's gone,' he said gently, but looking into those aqua depths Sasuke wasn't so sure.

Naruto's fingers slipped from his forehead and tenderly tucked a jet black lock behind his ear; this intimate gesture was all his unstable system needed to tilt over the edge.

He felt hot all over; not the scorching, stifling of before, but a warm, tingly, pleasant kind of spark that started in his heart and spread throughout him to parts of his body he'd almost forgotten existed. To his foggy mind it was four years ago; they were just fooling around and relaxing in his boyfriend's room like they always did, and leaning in suddenly seemed like a very good idea.

It seemed inevitable.


	7. Memento Mori Two

**Chapter Seven**

**Memento Mori-Two**

As his face got closer he saw Naruto's eyes widen; he could now feel his breath on his cheek, and his heart was pounding so loudly he was sure the blonde must be able to hear it. Their gaze was electric, magnetic; neither able to turn away. The kid's face; that innocent look, it gave him a hell of a buzz.

The moment was straining under the pressure of unspoken passion, ready to break free and flow loose. Sasuke tilted his head slightly and broke their gaze to brush his lips against Naruto's neck. This light, feathery motion earned a shiver of repressed delight, and spurred on his lips formed a seal on Naruto's throat and he sucked gently for a moment, and then pulled back. The skin was now moist from his lips, and his teeth had left a tiny purple bruise; a love bite claiming possession.

Naruto's own pulse rate had rocketed; he could feel it throbbing in the vein in his neck. He traced it slowly, seductively with his tongue, inhaling that wonderful scent. He then blazed a trail of burning kisses from his collarbone, up his neck, over his jaw line, and stopped just short of his lips.

They were both breathing heavily, and it gave him a crazy rush to see that those beautiful baby blues were dilated with passion.

'S-Sasuke…'

A hand came to rest on his arm. Controlled by his fervent urges he knew what he wanted to happen; he'd wanted it to happen for years. He'd been empty inside, but now something was stirring again. With this person he could be gentle and carefree; with this person he could be himself. This angel with his fair hair and perfect summer sky eyes; he was the only one who ever made him feel alive.

'God I missed you,' he croaked huskily, and leaning in once more, thoroughly caught in the moment, he began to absorb himself in the taste of the lips he'd craved for so long.

To finally hear this admission was so wonderful that Naruto shut his eyes and allowed himself to surrender. Sasuke kissed him firmly and skilfully, his tongue stroking his and getting him more than a little aroused, strong hands caressing his flaxen hair and moving down his body…and without thinking he found himself kissing back. A moan of pleasure escaped as one of Sasuke's hands grabbed his chin while the other wandered, and his kisses got deeper, more insistent.

Desire was making him dizzy, but something was wrong. Sasuke was starting to push him back on the bed. It felt so right, and yet the entire situation was wrong. Wrenching himself from those unrelenting lips, Naruto tried to catch his breath.

'Sasuke,' he murmured, trying to get a hold on his wild heartbeat, gasping breaths, and on other parts of his anatomy. 'We shouldn't.'

Pushing his hand away, the tips of their noses brushing and their heads together like schoolyard friends sharing a secret, Naruto watched as Sasuke's dark eyes filled with confusion.

'I don't think this is a good idea,' he continued, feeling awful. 'You broke things off out of nowhere and left without a word…it hurt like hell. When they told me you'd died,' his bottom lip trembled briefly, and Sasuke had the urge to kiss it, 'I nearly died too. I can't take that kind of bullshit again; and I can't do this again. Not…us.'

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, and not for the first time Naruto would have traded all the ramen in the world to be a mind reader; just to know what was going on in that gorgeous head.

The assassin shivered suddenly, violently, as though a northerly breeze had blown by, and grabbed at his wounded shoulder. Naruto responded quickly, taking Sasuke's arm with concern, but to his shock his hand was slapped away.

'Don't touch me,' Sasuke muttered.

Now feeling wretched Naruto just stared, biting his lip. It still tasted of Sasuke. 'I'm sorry,' he whispered.

'Sorry for nothing,' Sasuke grunted, recovering himself slightly. 'I'm still feverish, idiot; I didn't know what I was saying or doing.' He raised his chin with all the dignity he could muster, and glared the blonde down with a superior smirk. 'Don't go getting the idea I want you back. Coz I don't.'

'Uh, yeah. I knew that.' Naruto backed away feeling foolish and ashamed. How could he even let that kiss happen? He should've known Sasuke would turn it around like that, and make Naruto feel like _he'd_ been the one rejected. The mind games were something he'd never got used to, and they still hurt.

Standing apart, the heat of the moment evaporating into the morning light, they both came to their senses, and an awkward silence set over the room in wake of what had happened; and of what had nearly happened.

Thankfully, Sasuke was never one to appreciate the poetry of the moment. 'Water,' he said gruffly.

'Huh?' Naruto gaped cluelessly, still running a hand through his messy hair, his face mildly flushed.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. 'Water, dumbass. The stuff you drink.'

A long pause.

'What about it?'

'_What do I see in this guy?_' thought Sasuke with a disbelieving expression. 'Can I get some before I die of dehydration?'

'Oh God! Yeah, of course, I'm so sorry. I'll get it now. I forgot, what with…you know…'

Naruto blushed an unhealthy shade of neon red, and with his complimentary orange shirt Sasuke thought he'd have made a very attractive traffic cone. He grinned weakly and disappeared from the room, shutting the door behind him.

So, thought Sasuke, their comedy duo routine was back, and it was probably better that way. He couldn't handle it when things got that intense; deep down he was just a rotten, filthy coward, and there was no way Naruto would have even held his hands if he'd known that they were stained with the blood of hundreds. He didn't deserve a sweet kid like that. He hadn't realised he'd hurt him so badly with his disappearance; it had all been for the best though. He didn't want the one he loved involved in that kind of life. When he was well enough to walk he would; and he wouldn't come back this time.

Still…hot blood pounded through his veins where Naruto's touch had met his, and a taste vaguely like marshmallows lingered on his lips. Every time his furious desire reared its monstrous head he had to push it back in again, and every time it got a little more difficult to do so. He wasn't sure how much longer he could control himself. Naruto had said it best; he was only human.

* * *

_And its back!! Major love to all of you who have been reviewing. You guys make my day :hugs: I had fun writing this chapter, its a real teaser though, ne? ;) I'm not used to writing 'adult' scenes but there will be steamier stuff coming, I hope I can handle it! :sweatdrop: If you have something to say, good or bad, please leave a comment! More on the way ~_


	8. Razor Blade

**Chapter Eight**

**Razor Blade**

After guzzling down several glasses of water Sasuke slept; not his usual fitful sleep where he woke up feeling even worse, but a quiet, dreamless slumber where the cares and tension of his world seemed to fade away into the distance.

When he awoke it was evening, and he felt a little better, though considering how he'd felt earlier this wasn't saying much. Sitting up in bed, trying hard not to think that these were the sheets that Naruto slept in, he cast his eagle eyes around the room. Hard as he tried he couldn't figure out the prominence of the large desk with the laptop, and all the pens and writing pads on it. He wondered vaguely if Naruto had taken to writing a journal, or something. The clothes, strewn about the floor or hanging over furniture, were the usual bright colours.

Among the book shelves lining the wall above the bed was a black, shiny object, and climbing carefully to his feet Sasuke grinned as his hands closed around his gun. His knees almost immediately gave way again and he sank to the mattress, but he didn't even stop to mourn his poor health-he'd got his gun back! It almost seemed too easy though.

Frowning, he opened it up, and a tiny knot in his brow appeared when he saw the bullets were missing. Damn that Naruto. He pulled a face and stuffed the empty pistol under the pillow for safe keeping. He was painfully aware that he was only wearing boxer shorts, which meant that at some point Naruto had stripped him, and this added to his irritation.

Getting up and exploring was tempting, but he felt like crap, so he stayed put, leaning back and staring blankly at the ceiling while laughter echoed in from the other room. Of course; Naruto's favourite gameshow would be on around this time. He smiled weakly, and was dozing off again when the door opened.

Naruto poked his head in, his eyes sparkling. Sasuke felt a tight knot in his stomach; there had been a time when he'd been the one to give Naruto that sparkle.

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm dying,' he snapped. 'What does it look like?'

'Aren't we a grumpy bastard? That's a good sign; it means your strength is coming back.' Naruto smiled, and came in. Sasuke was suspicious about what he was carrying.

He drew up a chair to the bed, shaking the various rumpled clothes onto the floor, and set down a bowl of water, a towel and a reel of gauze. He held in his hand a razor, and Sasuke twitched at the sight of it.

'I need to change your bandages,' explained Naruto gently. 'They need changing every day. And I thought you might wanna shave. You've got the whole 6 o'clock shadow thing going on.'

'5 o'clock,' correct Sasuke automatically, eyeing the razor.

'Whatever. You want me to do it for you?'

Sasuke was silent. The only thing he felt well enough to do was breathe gently, and even that he seemed to be having trouble with, but letting someone else come at his throat with a razor went against every thing he'd ever been trained for.

'I'll be careful,' prompted Naruto.

Sasuke raised his fingers and stroked his chin, and at the stubbly fuzz he felt beneath his fingertips he was glad there wasn't a mirror nearby.

'Isn't your favourite show on now?'

Naruto was touched that Sasuke even remembered what his favourite show was, but pushed the thought aside. 'Commercial break. Come on, hurry up, and let me-'

'I don't know…'

'Ah, quit being a baby.'

Sasuke twitched as a great blob of shaving foam was plastered onto his lower cheek, and Naruto rubbed it in, making sure it covered all his stubble. Sasuke's eyes kept flickering back and forth from the razor to Naruto's hand, massaging his face and feeling so damn good, and when the utensil was raised his eyes began to glow like embers in a fire.

He rapidly grabbed for Naruto's wrist, and squeezed his fingers around it tightly.

'Just chill out.' The blue eyes were soothing. 'I won't hurt you.'

He knew he was overreacting but he just couldn't let a razor blade near his throat. His every impulse was screaming 'enemy attack!' and he had to restrain himself from forcing Naruto to the floor in a chokehold and kicking the razor from his hands. But at the same time…he grudgingly let go of Naruto's wrist, which now had pink finger marks printed upon it, and forced himself to be reasonable.

'Make it quick,' he growled. 'And if you spill even a drop of my blood I'll make you pay, dumbass.'

Naruto glared. 'You just be glad I'm a really nice guy, you ungrateful bastard.'

And slowly, gently, he began to work.

If nothing else Sasuke enjoyed the closeness, and revelled in the feeling that there was at least one person in the world who would hold a razor to his throat, and not be tempted to slit it.

When Naruto finally finished and stood to leave the room Sasuke lay back on the pillows. He felt exhausted, even though he'd slept for most of the day, and everything seemed so comfortable and warm the he prepared to submit to his drowsiness once more; when suddenly a strange buzz sounded through the room.

Naruto turned at the doorway and Sasuke sat up ramrod straight, every muscle tensed at the strange sound. It stopped, and then started again. It was the vibration of a phone receiving a call.

Naruto blinked, confused for a moment, and then gestured to Sasuke's black jacket which hung over the back of a chair.

'I think it's your cell phone,' he said. 'Want me to-?'

'Just pass it to me,' snapped Sasuke, his eyes unusually wide. 'And then get out.'

Rolling his eyes Naruto did as he was told and Sasuke waited with baited breath until he left the room before answering the call. He knew who it was even before he flipped it open.

'Tsunade,' he muttered. 'Did you get what I asked for?'

'You're an interesting one, X2,' said her voice coolly. 'You are the finest of the Akatsuki, our elite. I never expected you to be such a…problem child.'

'What?'

'It's funny,' continued Tsunade, obviously on a roll, 'that I never thought to put it in the rulebook. It is such common sense though; I never thought it necessary.'

'Put what in the rulebook?' he asked furiously, getting sick of having her toy with him.

'That it is forbidden,' she said, in a voice as sharp as the razor blade that had shaved him, 'to spend the night with the targets. Let me ask you, X2, during which part of fucking his brains out did you intend to use your gun, or are you just giving him a treat before he heads to the afterlife?'

Sasuke felt his breath hitch in his throat. He didn't even know which part of that to start questioning and protesting about first. He settled for the obvious. 'How did you-?' he croaked, and Tsunade cut him off with a barking laugh.

'I thought better of you, X2, everyone said you were no good for this job, that your feelings would get in the way, but I believed in you. I've seen you put your gun to the head of innocents and pull the trigger; no remorse, no pity. I saw this as your opportunity to prove yourself once and for all, to finally be rid of the chains from your past; to truly join our fold. You've disappointed me greatly.'

The feeling was mutual, he thought. 'I only joined Akatsuki for one reason,' Sasuke spat down the phone line, wishing it was Tsunade's face he was spitting into, 'and you know why. I wanted to find him…' he began quivering with rage just picturing his face, 'the one who killed my family. I never wanted to be a professional assassin. I was just waiting for the day when my job would be putting a bullet into _his_ head; and I won't have to wait forever. There are plenty of people in the underground who want him dead, but I'm the best hitman around, and he has the best defences of any crime lord in the last century. When they want the job done right they'll come to me, and then…then I'll have my revenge.'

He stopped his ranting; breathing deeply, and worried for a second from the silence that Tsunade had hung up. She hadn't.

'It isn't too late, X2,' she said quietly. 'You do not know what forces you are dealing with here. This job is red hot, and goes up even further than me. You need to put a bullet in Uzumaki's head, or they will find you, and put a bullet in yours. It may even be one of our own who does so.'

'But why?' he cried in frustration, forgetting to keep his voice low. 'Why would anyone want him dead? I don't understand!'

'Because he is a threat,' she said archly, 'who needs to be eliminated. You do not need to know any more. Kill him, or prepare to die.'

'A threat to who?' snapped Sasuke, 'a threat to what?'

The dull hum of the dialling tone indicated Tsunade had hung up this time, and he swore loudly, snapping the cell shut.

He was so livid with Tsunade's lies, and the whole setup, that it was only when he looked up and found himself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes that he realised he wasn't alone any longer.

The depths were darkened with anger, like a storm at sea, and Sasuke knew in that moment that Naruto had heard everything. So far gone was he; so much of the assassin's instinct had he absorbed, that it actually occurred to him briefly. How easy it would be to kill Naruto, to disappear, and to continue living his lonely life; dedicated once more to darkness and revenge with no-one to pull him back to the light. It would be easy; but Sasuke knew this was the one person he could never kill. He was still that weak, after so many years.

'I think there's something you need to tell me,' said Naruto in a low voice, stepping in and closing the door behind him with a click.

* * *

_Now he's got some explaining to do! X3 I don't like this chapter much, I think it moved too slowly and not a lot happens :grumbles quietly: but I did really want to write the shaving scene because the idea sounded very cute when it occurred to me. Am I wierd? Yes. That has been established :D I've done a little background on Sasuke, so Naruto is up next. I have a really evil scene in mind for when his editor shows up. Mwahaha. Anyways. Please review and enjoy! Will update as soon as I regain the will to live :has a cold: T___T_


	9. Excuses Excuses

**Chapter Nine**

**Excuses, Excuses**

Blue eyes bore into Sasuke, and he glared right back. He wasn't going to talk. Even if it killed him. The knowledge of who he was and what he did was far too dangerous for Naruto to find out. But that wasn't the real reason, piped up his conscience, sticking its oar in at the worst possible time, as usual. The real reason was that he couldn't bear it if the one he loved knew the full extent of his crimes. Naruto was the only one who'd ever looked at him, smiled at him like there might be good in his soul. He hated the idea that that gaze might fade away and never come back; replaced by disgust, pity, and hatred.

He felt the bed dip as Naruto sat beside him, but he fixed his pitch black eyes on the wall and refused to budge. He was bracing himself for an explosion of anger that never came.

'Why don't you start by telling me why the hell you came here after all this time?' asked that soft voice.

Silence.

Naruto snuffled with laughter. 'Was it just to see me, then?'

Sasuke's glower darkened like a storm cloud. So that was how the blonde was going to play it. Well fine. He was going to play along.

'Did you miss me?' Naruto's voice was getting louder, but it was hard to read his tone. 'Do you still love me?'

'I never loved you,' snapped Sasuke. 'You were just a really good fuck.'

The lie tasted bitter in his mouth, and he glanced sidelong at Naruto. That low blow was designed to hurt and it had the desired effect; Naruto's winced as though he'd been punched. To Sasuke's amazement though, he didn't get angry.

'I'll take that as a compliment, shall I?' he asked huskily, his blue eyes watery. 'It's the nicest thing you ever said to me.' Sasuke averted his gaze again, and Naruto sighed.

'You're such a stubborn bastard. You might as well tell me everything. I heard you on the phone ya know.'

Now Sasuke felt as though he'd been punched in the gut.

'If you heard me,' he replied huskily, 'then you already know, and I don't need to tell you, do I?'

Again, he was impressed as Naruto sat still; no reaction whatsoever. Sasuke began to wonder if he was on valium or something.

In the old days Naruto would have punched him to the ground and tried to rip his hair out for infuriating comments like that. That was how it first began…they'd been wrestling after a particularly nasty spat when, in a moment of weakness, Naruto had gotten the upper hand and was suddenly on top of him, breathing hard, their bodied entwined.

'You're mine, teme,' he'd declared, grinning.

The brightest blue eyes he'd ever seen were burning into him, hot, sweet breath panted only inches from his lips, and he could only stare up stupidly; confused as feelings he'd never known before tore through his body, making him ache. It wasn't hate, but it was equally passionate, and it set his blood on fire. Naruto had felt it too; he'd seen it in his uncertain expression, and as the blonde shifted, trying to get up, he slipped and fell down heavily. Sasuke bit back a moan of pleasure as their lower bodies were pressed together.

Naruto's saucers of blue had widened at Sasuke's reaction, but before he could do anything Sasuke twisted so that he was lying on top. If it was going to happen, dammit, at least he was going to be in control of it.

'No,' he growled. 'You're _mine_, dobe.'

'What are you doing?' asked a dazed voice. 'Sasu…ke…'

Naruto had breathed his name, barely a whisper, turning him on in indescribable ways. Sasuke lowered his head, dizzy at the idea of what he was about to do, and brushed an experimental kiss on the side of Naruto's mouth, his lips dry and burning. He wasn't disappointed; he felt the blonde shiver in pleasure beneath him and Naruto parted his own moist lips, hesitating for only a second before surrendering.

Never one to fool around for long Sasuke had deepened the kiss to show his intent, and crushing the one he wanted into the ground with the weight of his urgency he'd kissed him firmly, pasionately, feeling desire pulse through his very being as the other boy shuddered in his arms. Barely coherent, he'd felt fingers running softly through his hair...

Sasuke got worked up just remembering that first kiss, that first night, and while he was pleased to see that the years apart had matured his hyperactive ex greatly, he was saddened a little that he'd missed the transition. He admired that part of Naruto that was sweet, childish, cute and irresponsible. It was all the things he would never be.

'You said,' continued Naruto, his voice breaking Sasuke's bubble of memories and bringing him back to reality with an unpleasant thud, 'that you never wanted to be a professional assassin.'

The ebony eyes went cold. So he'd heard that part too.

'Is that what you've been doing all this time? You said…Akatsuki…are you a part of that? That underground group of pro hitmen for hire; the best, most mysterious assassins in the world. Are you really one of them now, Sasuke? Talk to me, dammit!'

Sasuke smirked. The old Naruto wasn't completely gone, it seemed. There was still a hint of fire in his soul.

'And why did you say Tsunade?' asked Naruto, his hands squeezed into fists. His voice was going hoarse now. 'You know Tsunade died in that fire at Anbu headquarters three years ago-'

'Like I died?' snapped Sasuke, losing his patience. 'Like Kiba, Neji and Gaara all supposedly died? Don't be so naïve, dumbass. Even I didn't think you were stupid enough to fall for that.'

'You're lying,' protested Naruto, but Sasuke finally turned to him, and the look on his face was fearsome.

'Am I lying?' he retorted. 'How can I be right here if I'm dead? And if I survived, how do you know the others didn't? It was all a cover up. We all had scores to settle after the…incident…so...'

'So you faked your own deaths and joined Akatsuki?' Naruto sounded revolted. 'That sounds like something out of a soap opera! Why the hell would you do that? It's crazy!'

Sasuke shook his head at this dramatic enquiry. It was beginning to pound again. 'It wasn't like that,' he grunted. 'We didn't plan it that way. We didn't plan to…die. It just happened. We all lost something in that final battle Naruto; back when we were in Anbu. Tsunade and I…we lost the most.' He shuddered, thinking of how gentle Tsunade had once been, and how ruthless she'd become. 'We couldn't keep living like nothing ever happened. We all wanted revenge. So while the fire burned the memories of our past to ashes we all came together. We disappeared under the cover of the smoke and came here. And now we're getting our revenge. Piece by piece. Person by person.'

'_And I was never supposed to see your face again,'_ he added silently, bitterly. '_Of all the cities in all the world, you just had to walk into mine._'

'We all fell apart after you left. Anbu disbanded.'

'Yeah, I heard,' he muttered.

'I don't believe you're a cold blooded killer. I won't accept it.' Naruto wrapped his arms around himself, and gave Sasuke a searching look. To Sasuke's amazement the gaze held no pity, disgust or hatred. It was the same gaze as always; shy and slightly confused. 'You're searching for Itachi, aren't you?' he whispered.

Sasuke swore that if he'd had his gun just then it would have been pointed at Naruto's temple in 0.2 seconds. He felt his blood boil.

'Don't ever,' he barked, grinding his teeth, 'say that name to me! You know nothing of me or what I've been through, okay? _NOTHING!_'

Raising his voice really took it out of him and he wheezed, catching his breath.

Naruto jumped off the bed with a loud thump and huffed over to the window. Just as he was about to open it a crack to get some night air he felt Sasuke's arms around him, and his gasp of protest was cut off as Sasuke clamped a hand to his mouth and drew him away from the window. He glared, waiting for an explanation, and noticed that Sasuke's already porcelain pallor had whitened even more. The raven locks falling messily into his eyes, framing his face either side; they made a beautifully stark contrast to his pale complexion.

'Don't go near any windows,' hissed Sasuke insistently, 'until I say so. Tsunade knew I was here, so it's likely this place is being monitored.'

Naruto nodded dumbly, and waited for Sasuke to remove his hand. He had to admit, the pressure had felt nice.

'If she knows it's my place,' he asked in a stage whisper, 'why do I have to stay away from the windows?'

'Because they're trying to kill you,' said Sasuke bluntly.

Naruto stared. 'Why?'

A dismissive grunt. 'God only knows. I wish I did.'

He was swaying slightly on his feet and sweating again, and without even thinking Naruto put a hand on his arm to steady him. Sasuke shivered at his touch.

'I don't get it,' muttered Naruto, the wrinkle in his brow reflecting deep thought. 'Why would you be here to protect me if you're part of Akatsuki?'

Decision time, thought Sasuke. I can tell him the truth, or I can keep running like a coward. I can't run very far with a fever, and even if I could, he always had a way of catching me and bringing me to my knees.

He managed a weak, miserable smirk. 'I never came to protect you, dumbass,' he whispered. 'I came to kill you.'

* * *

_Sorry for the lack of update in a while! College, plus writing Hades 3, which takes everything out of me. I do hope we're all still enjoying. I'm doing my best! *cries* Sorry for the casablanca referance. I could not help myself, nihaha :D To Orgainoid; I totally understand your viewpoint and appreciate the thought! I intend to make Tsunade's motives clear later. She has an important part to play. And I'm officially bringing Naruto's editor into the next chapter. Squee! As always, reviews and comments appreciated. Luvs ya all ~_


	10. Little Woman

**Chapter Ten**

**Little Woman**

After Sasuke's admission, Naruto stood very still. His head lowered, and he seemed intent on looking everywhere but into the coal black eyes. That hurt more than any goddamn bullet.

'You should get some sleep,' Naruto said in a low voice. 'Just get better. Then…then you can go.'

He walked quickly from the room and Sasuke didn't stop him. What the hell had he expected? You can't tell somebody you came to kill them and expect a welcome wagon. He'd wanted to add something to that admission.

'I'd never kill you,' he muttered into the empty stillness of the room. 'You never have to be scared of me.'

He pulled all the curtains firmly shut and then returned to the bed finding, to his delight, that if he pressed his face far enough into the pillow he could make out the lovely scent of that spicy aftershave. He smirked at his own sentimentality.

'_I'm pathetic,_' he thought miserably.

-

When he woke up it was daylight again, and feeling more coherent, his shoulder no longer in spasms of pain, he realised his illness had cost him valuable time. The place was being monitored and he'd already been warned; if he didn't kill Naruto, someone else would come to finish the job. But who? And what was he planning to do about it exactly?

With a kind of decisiveness that comes from deep within Sasuke knew he would protect Naruto until the end; even if it cost him his life. Trouble was, Tsunade had warned him that this job went even further up then she herself; this meant that whoever the client was they were serious. He could take Naruto and go on the run, but he knew better than anyone that even escaping the country didn't necessarily throw the predator off your back. He knew, because he'd been that predator for so many years. The only option left was to find the client and kill them first. It was possible, he realised. He had money, and contacts, and best of all, he had the talents. Twice the hitman of anyone else in the business. Wasn't that what they said?

Felling better for his decision, he extracted himself from the tangled covers and went to take a shower. He knew he really needed one.

To his surprise he met Naruto right outside the door, a trey of food in hand.

'I thought you might be well enough for breakfast,' he said quietly, his blue eyes on the floor.

Sasuke was moved. Apart from adding boiling water this was the closest he'd ever seen Naruto to actually cooking. 'Thank you,' he said softly, and as he reached for the trey their fingers touched briefly.

Naruto pulled away in a knee-jerk reaction that made Sasuke feel, if it were possible, even more awful.

'You're welcome,' he mumbled. 'Now it's not my fault if you die of starvation. I can't have a dead assassin on my property; it'd wreck my reputation.' He observed Sasuke's bare chest with some embarrassment. 'Shower's down the hall,' he added, walking off with a red face.

-

The hot water was soothing, cleansing, and even though it stung his wound it felt so good and refreshing that he didn't care. As he stepped out and wrapped the nearest towel around his sculpted, six-pack waist, Naruto flew into the bathroom and grabbed his wrist. His face was even redder than earlier.

'What the hell are you doing?' snapped Sasuke, backing away.

'Come with me, now!' yelped Naruto, and pulled so hard that a beguiled Sasuke had little choice but to follow. Naruto was tugging him back to the bedroom, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed warily.

'Why-?' he asked, getting the wrong idea, but before he could do anything Naruto shoved him back into the bedroom and began to close the door from the other side. Sasuke blocked it with his foot. 'Explanation. _Now_, dumbass.'

'My editor's at the door,' squeaked Naruto. 'She can't see you here! Just stay in this room and be quiet, okay?'

'Your editor?' repeated Sasuke, trying to keep up.

'Yeah! My editor!' The blonde's eyes were wide saucers of panic, and he struggled, trying to push the door shut. Sasuke didn't budge. 'I'm a writer,' he said, as if that explained everything.

'You're a writer?' said Sasuke. He was well aware that he was beginning to sound like a parrot, but this story just didn't wash with him. 'You're…a writer?'

'Yeah!' Naruto looked as though he were about to cry.

'No, you're not,' scoffed Sasuke. 'You can barely read.'

'I taught myself, okay?' snapped Naruto, regarding Sasuke properly for the first time since their confrontation. 'I'm a published author, and my editor is at the door. She can't see you!'

The doorbell rang, chiming through the apartment, and Naruto whimpered.

'Coming, Hinata! Wait, just wait a minute!'

'Why can't she see me?' asked Sasuke calmly, in a difficult mood. He enjoyed seeing Naruto practically have a hernia.

'Because you're half naked with a bullet hole in you!' hissed Naruto. 'And what with the hickey on my neck and the fact that you were just in my shower, it looks kinda bad; don't ya think?'

And with that he kicked Sasuke's foot from the door and slammed it shut. Sasuke stared at the door, feeling rejected. It wasn't a feeling he liked.

He pressed his ear to the door and listened intently.

'I-I'm so sorry,' a female voice was stammering softly. 'I know I'm a little early-'

'Aw, that's okay, no worries. Let me just clear a space for you to sit down…'

Sasuke smirked. '_Good luck,_' he thought, '_with all your crap around it'll be a wonder if she doesn't break her neck on the way in._'

'Th-thank you. I don't mean to be a bother; I know we usually don't meet here…'

'No worries, no worries. I'll get you a drink.'

'Um, th-thank you so much. It's just that I've been dying to see your latest chapters. Um, they are finished…right?'

'Ahaha; yeah, about that.' Sasuke rolled his eyes as he heard Naruto chuckle nervously. 'Something came up, and I haven't really had time to finish.'

'B-but…we have a deadline!' whispered the voice plaintively, and Sasuke frowned.

This woman obviously didn't have enough backbone to work with Naruto. He knew better than anyone that to get results out of him meant kicking his ass into shape now and then.

'I'm so sorry,' apologised Naruto sincerely, 'I don't mean to keep letting you down, Hinata. I know no-one else in this city would put up with me like you do.'

Sasuke realised he hadn't drawn breath in about twenty seconds, and his chest felt tight. Hearing Naruto creep to this woman made him immensely irritable, for some reason. He was curious at to what she looked like, but he would have put money on the fact that she wasn't a busty blonde stunner like Tsunade. He guessed she was the flat-chested, no make-up, plain type of woman. That thought made him feel better.

Suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to interfere, he crossed over to the closet and found some half suitable clothes. His frame was taller, broader than Naruto's but he found a loose fitting midnight blue shirt to wear, and deliberately kept enough of the top buttons open to reveal his muscular chest. Scowling at the horrendously bright assortment of colours-seriously, what was the dumbass's preoccupation with the colour orange??-he picked out clean underwear and a pair of tight fitting black jeans and slipped into them. Glancing in the mirror he ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it. The damp raven tendrils immediately fell roguishly back into his eyes, and he sighed. He really did need a haircut. His pale complexion was still unusually flushed, bringing out his high cheekbones, and all things considered he knew he looked damn good. Being around Naruto undeniably seemed to give him colour and vibrancy and the corpse; the empty shell of a man that he despised, no longer stared back at him from his reflection.

Just before he stepped out he turned back to the desk. The laptop; the books, notepads and pens, all set up like a little shrine, now made sense. Naruto…his Naruto…was a writer? A wicked smile playing at his lips, he made his way into the living room.

-

A girl; not a woman, was huddled into a corner of Naruto's couch, her hands folded in her lap over her conservative, crisp grey skirt, jacket, and frilly white blouse. She was petite and wearing black pumps, although her legs weren't the sensational kind that men got excited over, he thought with a satisfied smirk. She may not have sex appeal, but she sure had cute appeal. Her short, stylish dark hair framed her face, which was round, fairly pretty, and stained with a deep blush as he walked in unannounced. He couldn't help but notice that this girl had the most incredible eyes; they were a silvery shade of white, pearly and reflective like the inside of a seashell. She stood up quickly at his entrance, knocking over the paper cup of coffee at her feet, and looked from him to Naruto in surprise.

Naruto's mouth fell open as Sasuke strode in, but he recovered himself quickly and also rose from his seat. He cleared his throat, clearly at a loss for words.

Knowing full well how cruel he was being Sasuke stood beside Naruto, who shot him a dirty glare, and looked over at the girl as though vaguely surprised to see her there.

'Are you going to introduce me to your little friend?' he asked smoothly.

* * *

Oh yeah. You better believe Sasuke is gonna make this one veeery awkward situation :D Poor little Hinata-chin. I wanted to inject a 'comedic interlude' before moving onto the darker parts of the story, because it is going to go ANGSTY, people! So anyways. Hope you enjoy, thanks a million to all you who keep reviewing because you keep me sane (!!) and I'll try to update again soon :) Oh, and to all my US readers; HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! *waves a banner* ~


	11. Green Eyed Monster

_As usual, thankyou a million times to all of you lovely reviewers! This chapter is freakishly long. Sorry about that!! *laughs* It makes up for the fact that I probably won't update for another week though ^^ So from this incident we might establish that Sasuke is perhaps the jealous type (no kidding) and his childish (and deviant!) reaction to Hinata-chin costs him dearly. On the other hand though, he finally admits something important. As the reader I'm sitting on the sidelines and screaming at them to get over themselves and get together, but as the writer I know that all good things come in time ^^ ..._

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**Green Eyed Monster**

The tension in the room, the silent expectancy fell squarely on Naruto. The poor guy looked between Hinata and Sasuke completely dumfounded, and though he wanted more than anything to punch that evil smirk off Sasuke's face he couldn't do that in front of Hinata. There was nothing he could do in front of Hinata, and Sasuke knew it. The bastard.

The gleaming black eyes gave nothing away, and Naruto realised he had to speak eventually. He found his voice.

'Hinata,' he muttered, giving in, 'this is…my friend…Sasuke.'

He wasn't sure if giving Sasuke's real name was a good idea or not, but he was in no mood to cover for him.

'He's, uh, not feeling too well so he's, uh, staying here until he…you know, gets better.' He coughed.

'Oh,' said Hinata softly, her dazzling eyes round with wonder.

Sasuke watched this interaction with a kind of reckless enjoyment. A part of his mind was warning him how incredibly stupid it was to reveal his presence to anyone, but he kicked it aside, battered it and buried it. Hinata interested him. The more he looked at her the more he thought her eyes looked very, very familiar. But it couldn't be…

'G-good day,' cried Hinata, bowing suddenly, and Sasuke blinked; taken aback at her politeness. 'It's so very nice to meet you, Mr Sasuke. I hope you feel better soon. I'm so very sorry,' she added, looking back up at Naruto and biting her lip, 'I would never have asked you to stick to that deadline if I had any idea you were taking care of a friend. Please forgive me…'

'No, Hinata, it's my fault,' said Naruto, obviously feeling guilty. 'It's my responsibility...I'm free now if you need to go over anything-' he gestured to the portfolio she'd brought with her.

Sasuke's remote manner began to dissolve into a glare as he realised he was being ignored again. They were so busy with each other it was as though he wasn't in the room.

'Ah, yes, if it's okay?' Hinata's gaze darted from Naruto to Sasuke, and the blonde nodded as cheerfully as he could manage.

'Sure, sure.'

'Do you mind if I stay?' interjected Sasuke, determined to make his presence known, and Naruto scowled warily. 'I've always been interested in fine literature.'

Hinata smiled shyly, her cheeks colouring, and she sat down and retrieved some important looking papers. Naruto perched back onto his seat in a barely concealed rage, and Sasuke shoved some unidentifiable food stuff away with his foot and took a place beside him. Naruto suddenly leaned in and whispered into his ear while Hinata was busy.

'_What the hell are you playing at?_' he snarled under his breath.

Sasuke smirked again. 'Nothing. I'm genuinely interested.'

Naruto's nostrils flared. 'Are you crazy, or is this just a really cruel and unusual joke?'

Sasuke just smiled infuriatingly.

Naruto was about to snap at him again when Hinata spoke up.

'You have a hickey.'

'Huh?!'

Naruto yelped, jumped about a foot in the fair and slapped his hand to his neck; the purple bruise just visible over the neckline of his t-shirt.

Hinata gaped in confusion at his ridiculously overblown reaction, and then tapped the page in front of her with her finger. 'U-um, a printing error. Here.'

A moment's silence.

'Oh,' sighed Naruto in relief, and stiffened as he felt Sasuke's shoulders shaking in silent laughter beside him. '_That bastard, he's enjoying my misery. I'll get him for this if it's the last thing I do._'

Keeping one hand over his neck, he leaned in and took a form to glance over as Hinata began to discuss the details with him. He was only half paying attention; his thoughts kept drifting back to Sasuke, sitting next to him. '_What is he trying to do to me?_' he thought madly. '_After all I've done for him he's trying to make a fool out of me. He better not try anything else._'

His heart pounding under the strain of expectation he drew a sharp intake of breath as he felt a hand land on his knee. It wasn't his hand, and Hinata was too far away; not that she'd ever be that bold. The hand squeezed his knee gently, and he almost choked.

'_That…unbelievable…bastard._'

Naruto peered up. Hinata was still chattering obliviously in her soft, breathy tones, her attention focused on pointing out a paragraph that had grammatical errors. He shot a glance sidelong, and to his disgust Sasuke was watching Hinata with an innocent, interested, butter-wouldn't-melt expression. He couldn't believe his audacity…if Hinata looked up…

Thinking fast Naruto lowered the paper in his hands casually so it covered any view of what Sasuke was doing, but that was perhaps the wrong move as it seemed to imply he was giving his ex free run to do whatever he pleased.

Sasuke began to stroke his hand, very slowly, up Naruto's leg, and the blonde stared at him in disbelief before quickly turning back to Hinata. This was totally absurd; shivers were breaking out down his spine and his breath was beginning to catch in his throat at the warm pressure of that hand…he couldn't keep up this façade for long.

Hinata chanced to look up. 'Are you okay?' she asked, concerned at how flushed his face had become, and Naruto nodded.

The first thing out of his mouth was a whimper, which again made Sasuke snuffle silently with laughter, and he desperately cleared his throat and tried again.

'I'm fine Hinata,' he said huskily, trying to maintain sanity while Sasuke's hand continued its journey and found his inner thigh. 'Just…keep…going.'

Sasuke clearly thought this command was directed at him, and did as he was bid. Naruto lowered his head, trembling and hating him. He couldn't do anything to stop it.

Hinata looked at Sasuke, whose well-mannered demeanour hadn't changed a bit, and back to Naruto. 'Um, okay,' she said nervously, returning her attentions to the script, 'I did have concerns over this section, but it can easily be modified…'

'Stop it,' mouthed Naruto, his eyes flashing with anger and helplessness, and Sasuke's lifted an eyebrow coolly.

'Make me,' he mouthed back, and began to caress Naruto's inner leg in a circular motion.

Torn between complete misery and complete ecstasy, Naruto bit his lip so hard he tasted blood and tried to focus on Hinata. His heartbeat was getting faster and his body was beginning react to the impromptu massage. He felt like he was going to lose his mind, like he was getting closer and closer to the edge, and it seemed an eternity before Hinata's voice broke through his fog of thoughts.

'Um, Mr Uzumaki? You really don't look well. Perhaps we should continue this another time.'

Barely coherent enough to speak, Naruto nodded dumbly. He felt Sasuke move like a swift panther from his side, and through his fragmented state he realised with annoyance that he already ached for his touch.

'I'm very sorry, Miss Hinata, was it? I suppose I must've given him something.'

Naruto put his head in his hands and glared at Sasuke through his fingers. He was ushering Hinata to the door and looking like the gentleman he wasn't.

'He's just not feeling himself,' continued Sasuke wickedly, and his choice of words naturally flew over sweet, innocent Hinata's head.

'I see,' she nodded briskly, pursing her lips and wringing her hands. 'Please take care of him for me, Mr Sasuke; he's very valuable to me.'

'To me too,' said Sasuke in a low voice, and Hinata paused at the doorway and looked back.

'I can fix this myself,' she assured Naruto, waving the portfolio and smiling in such a cute way that made his heart ache. 'You…you just get better, okay? I hear the best cure for a fever is lots of bed rest. Please, um, give me a call when you're feeling up to it.'

With one last bow she said it had been lovely to meet Sasuke, and departed. He swung the door shut and pulled a face, his debonair mask slipping.

'What a simpering little ninny,' he remarked coldly. 'Totally your type, dumbass. You never could handle real women.'

Naruto raised his head from his hands, his eyes glowing. The power of speech that returned to him, and he had a few choice words. The pulse throbbing through his veins had become pure fury.

'Don't you ever talk about Hinata like that,' he snapped angrily. 'She took care of me when I was just starting out in this business. She's a sweet, kind girl, and I'll never let you say a bad thing about her.'

'And if I do say a bad thing about her…?'

'Then I'll wipe that smugness off your face with my fist,' yelled Naruto, striding across the room.

The young men stood face to face, breathing deeply, both trying to calm their anger.

'What the hell was that about?' snapped Naruto, and again that maddening smirk pulled up the corner of Sasuke's lips. 'You think that's funny? What the HELL, Sasuke?! If Hinata had seen that-'

'What, are you ashamed of me?'

Naruto gritted his teeth, looking as though he might erupt. 'That has nothing to do with anything! We're not together anymore! You can't start groping me in front of my editor! How can you still be pulling shit like this? You are so FUCKED UP!'

Sasuke's dark eyes flashed and he looked away, licking his lips. 'Seems to me like you enjoyed it,' he returned calmly, putting his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

Hot humiliation swept through Naruto's cheeks, turning them fiery red, and he snorted. 'Are you that jealous that I have a life that you have to try and sabotage it?' he asked in a quieter tone. 'Does it bug you that even without you I made something of myself? That I have a cute girl taking care of me while you spend every night alone, just waiting for your cell phone to ring so you can take your orders like a good little puppy dog and go blow the next guy's brains out?'

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly. It was the only sign he gave that Naruto's words had any effect.

'You're a joke,' he muttered at last, barely audible, and Naruto leaned in.

'What was that?'

'I said you're a joke,' spat Sasuke. 'Pretending you're over our old way of life. Pretending you're over me.'

'I am over you,' said Naruto confidently, but Sasuke shook his head.

'You damn liar. If you're so over me why is it you whimper like a little bitch whenever I touch you?'

He raised his hand and gripped Naruto's chin, jet black embers burning intensely into the cool depths of a blue ocean.

Naruto didn't whimper. Instead he said something under his breath.

'Speak up, dumbass.'

'_Teme,_' repeated the blonde, and added rapid fire Japanese words that weren't very pleasant.

Sasuke laughed out loud at his audacity, and moved closer. They were but inches from each other now. Moving his left hand to hold Naruto's chin steady, he ran his hands through the spun gold hair, working it at the roots.

Naruto kept his chin up defiantly, not that he had much choice in Sasuke's grip, but his gaze was on the floor. 'What is it you want?' he asked throatily.

'_You,_' murmured Sasuke, his hot, sweet breath heating Naruto's flushed cheeks. 'God, how I want you. You're all I ever wanted.'

The admission was like a burden being lifted from his shoulders; he was no longer weighed down by sorrow and sin, he was free, happy, and with the only person in the world who made him feel worthwhile. He could have stayed like that forever; pressed against the one he loved with their lips tantalisingly close, forgetting all his troubles and responsibilities, but still he was awaiting an answer; the response, the delicious kiss that meant that Naruto felt the same.

Feeling vulnerable as hell, Sasuke was relieved when he felt his ex lover's hand fall on his hips. His relief didn't last long; and to his shock Naruto began to push him away.

Trembling from the effort Naruto raised his sad blue eyes, glistening with tears, and spoke softly but firmly.

'I don't want you,' he mumbled. 'I don't want you anymore.'

Something deep within Sasuke froze. This wasn't the way things were supposed to happen.

'You're lying,' he protested, but Naruto continued to push him away. He was forced to let go of the soft golden hair and, hurt, he reached out to stroke that childish face. Naruto stepped back quickly, avoiding his touch.

'You need me,' choked Sasuke, determined not to lose at this point. He had to salvage some of his dignity. 'You need me to protect you. Akatsuki is after you-'

'I can take care of myself,' insisted Naruto, wrapping his arms around himself. 'I have contacts. I didn't lose touch with everyone when I left Anbu.' He turned away, his face in shadows. 'If you're well enough to pull stunts like this, you're well enough to take care of yourself from now on. I want you out by tomorrow.'

He walked away and Sasuke panicked. What was the use in pride if you lost everything else?

'Naruto,' he called out hoarsely. '_Dobe._'

Naruto stopped walking. He stood still, his back to Sasuke, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides. When he spoke, his voice was raw with emotion and rough as gravel.

'I've moved on,' he said without turning around. 'You should do the same.'

And he walked out and closed the door, leaving Sasuke alone in his silent misery.


	12. Reminisce

_Whew! It's been a long break, sorry about that you guys, I've been trying to plan out the coming story a little better so I didn't stray too far off the mark. A million thanks to everyone who reviewed and PMd me, saying how much you love the 'stronger' Naruto!! Hugs to you!! I'm glad of writing him like this, because I don't agree that one person is ever truly submissive in a relationship. When you go deeper there is always a power struggle, and often the one in control is not the one you'd expect ;) Anyways, there's more flashbacks now, and we look a little more at what Naruto thinks this chapter, before we switch back to Sasuke. I didn't think it fair to stick with his perspective the WHOLE story XD Enjoy the indulgent poetical smut below...and please don't forget to review. Me loves you all!! X3_

_Btw, I get to write in Kakashi soon. Yay, yay, freakin YAY!!_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**Reminisce**

He had always been so weak. He remembered it even now, clear as day. How weak he'd been.

'Sasuke…' he gasped, as the older, raven haired boy slammed the door behind them.

Before he could blink strong arms pulled him closer and closer and, giddily, he overbalanced and fell onto the bed on top of his boyfriend. The word had tasted strange and unfamiliar yet sweet in his mouth, just like Sasuke's insistent kiss. Was this really his boyfriend? After all kissing was the mark of true lovers; if Sasuke wanted mere carnal gratification would he press his lips so insistently against his companion's, whispering such things as to drive any person crazy?

Naruto could only look down, trembling, their body heat melding into one another.

Sasuke lifted his hands and ran them through the blonde hair teasingly. 'Take off my shirt,' he ordered, his lips pulling up in a smirk.

Breathing heavily, his lower body still entwined with Sasuke's, Naruto did as he was told. The shirt was ripped off, exposing a firm; muscular chest glistening with beads of perspiration, rising and falling with each of Sasuke's rasping breaths. He desperately wanted to lower his head, to brush his lips against that sweaty skin, but Sasuke held his head firmly in his hands; challenge in his flashing onyx eyes.

'Now take off everything else,' he said in husky tones, and Naruto was glad that the quiver in Sasuke's voice meant that he wasn't the only one caught up in the moment.

The blonde swallowed hard. He was still fully clothed.

'What about my-?'

'Later, dobe. You deal with me first.'

Annoyed that he couldn't stop shivering uncontrollably, he fumbled to undo Sasuke's belt. His fingers shook and Sasuke placed his hot hands over them, calming him.

'Don't be so impatient,' commanded his boyfriend in a low, seductive voice that wrapped around his senses like black silk. 'You'll spoil it if you get worked up too soon.'

Naruto lowered his china blue eyes, flushing furiously as the belt came off.

'I can't help it,' he mumbled, his fingers still working on stripping Sasuke. 'I haven't…done this before.'

'Not even with a woman?'

Sasuke's cool amusement grated on him, and he felt his cheeks go even hotter.

'No,' he choked, and he paused, his hands on that impossibly slim waist, unable to tear off the jeans that were keeping him from unimaginable pleasure. He was losing his nerve.

Sasuke sighed heavily, and sat up on the edge of the bed. Naruto took a step back, feeling stupid and childish. To his surprise, Sasuke's voice came out soft, not mocking as he'd expected.

'So I'm your first ever…'

'Yeah,' said Naruto bitterly, now staring out of the window at the gathering twilight. '_Quit rubbing it in already,_' he thought.

'Come here.'

'Eh?' Naruto gaped.

Sasuke patted the bed beside him. 'Come over here. I guess I'm going to have to show you how it's done, dobe. Step by step.'

Cautiously, Naruto stepped forward and took a seat on the bed. He gasped again as Sasuke immediately leant over him, forcing him back and looming above him like a creature of the darkness.

'You're so unspeakably cute you're practically edible,' smiled Sasuke, his eyes glinting like shadowy gemstones. 'I might have to test that theory…but all in good time. Let's start with the basics.'

Sasuke had been a surprisingly gentle teacher; firm yet tender, and it wasn't long before his willing pupil was caressing and pleasing like a pro. Naruto was startled at the degree of control Sasuke allowed him; it was as though he wanted to be overpowered, as though the bedroom was the only place he allowed himself to be free and lose his cold exterior of inhibitions. Naruto didn't want to disappoint.

He could feel the older boy's desire for him; the stiff reaction was pressing up against Naruto and he boldly reached out to touch. A low moan tore from Sasuke throat, and he shuddered with pleasure.

'God, dobe…you're good at that…you're driving me crazy…'

Naruto, now enjoying himself and feeling wild, began to feather light kisses with agonising slowness down Sasuke's chest, stomach and abdomen, getting closer and closer.

Sasuke groaned, his entire body throbbing at the expectation of his lover's touch, but infuriatingly Naruto hovered above the centre of his passion, grinning up at him slyly.

'Will you do anything I ask you?'

'I'll do anything,' he moaned. 'Just, please…'

He closed his hand around Sasuke who gave a spasm of rapture, his breath coming in short, sharp pants. Naruto watched him, thrilled. For the first time he was in totally control of him and he knew it. Now this he could get used to. He crawled back up the beautiful, sculpted, sweaty body and whispered in Sasuke's ear what he wanted most.

'I love you,' he breathed, nuzzling up against the sleek black locks of hair. 'Tell me you love me too.'

Sasuke's eyes snapped open. 'Ugh,' he growled, his breath catching in his throat. 'That's…low…dobe…'

Naruto grinned exultantly. 'Tell me, or I won't do it.'

He knew it was cruel. The maddened state he was in Sasuke probably would have confessed his love to a tree frog. It didn't matter whether the words were sincere; he just wanted to hear them.

'Naruto,' his lover muttered, and feeling a heady rush at the moaning gasp that pronounced his name, the blonde leaned in.

'Yeah, teme?'

'I goddamnwell love you, okay?' snapped Sasuke, and considering he'd told Naruto not to be so impatient, his own raging eagerness had certainly turned the tables. 'Now get the hell back down there.'

Not the most romantic confession, Naruto had to admit, but he'd forced it out of him. Yes…when you handled him right, Sasuke was very weak…just as weak as anyone.

He paused now; his fingers ceasing their incessant tapping upon the sea of letters that poured into the ocean of his script, lit up by the monitor, and he observed with a critical eye the workings of his own soul, his own memories. He was back in the familiarity, the loneliness of his apartment, yet his mind hovered above the clouds, encapsulated in the fog of the assassin's essence. The madness of Sasuke's kiss, the divinity of their passionate couplings that tore at his body and heart until the sweet moon itself, watching outside the window, heard his soft murmurs of joy reaching high and echoing all the way into the heavens; it seemed like some kind of waking dream. It was a dream that he'd been all too happy to lock away in a heavy chest beneath his burdened heart, and yet the delectable young man, more elusive than a wisp of smoke, had returned to deal him yet more torture; to ravish the garden of hope which had blossomed in his absence; to plague the innocent mind of his abandoned lover with that diabolical craving that only he could satiate.

Naruto was desperately thirsty, a boy dried up and deprived of water, and Sasuke was the cool, refreshing, soothing, healing splash of a pure blue spring shower that rushed over him; quenched his ever-aching needs and restored his vitality. In a moment of weakness, under the cover of darkness and upon tangled bed sheets in exhaustion after hours and hours together, Sasuke had once confided that Naruto brought him to life. Naruto was sure of one thing. Sasuke's love…and very existence, sustained his life.

This, and so much more, was contained in the tousled blonde head that turned abruptly as the door creaked open.

Naruto shut his laptop-and the switch to his innermost thoughts-with a snap.

'Don't come in without knocking,' he said angrily, aware his voice was quivering.

Sasuke's black eyes, though now as reflective and impenetrable as a mirror once more, still showed signs of remorse, of rejection, of hurt for the earlier scene in the living room. But Naruto wasn't about to forgive that so easily. He was still blazing over how close he'd come to losing his job…and his friendship with Hinata.

'Sorry,' Sasuke muttered; a rare admittance of wrongdoing, and moved to the pillow at the head of the bed, reaching for his gun.

Naruto watched. 'You'll need the bullets,' he said coolly.

The onyx eyes met his, albeit with difficulty. 'Where are they?'

'I put em in the freezer,' was the gruff reply.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. Naruto turned back to his laptop, but didn't open it.

'Thanks,' Sasuke said quietly. Then added; 'what is it you write?'

Naruto raised his head a little, observing his poster of the cat, barely hanging on. It was surely a metaphor for his own sanity. 'Why do you care?' he snapped.

'I've always cared,' said the voice behind him hoarsely.

Naruto wasn't sure what was worse; when Sasuke played the part of the cold, immovable jerk, or when he finally opened up, and became a manic depressive emotional wreck. Apparently even outright rejection hadn't quelled his desire to spill his guts.

'_Well that's too bad,_' thought Naruto. '_Too little, too late._'

'I write romantic thrillers,' he said, waiting for a derisive snort of laughter that never came.

He was painfully curious to turn around and see Sasuke's reaction, but at the same time he was scared of looking into that face again. Those hypnotic eyes. It wasn't that he didn't want him. How could he not? It was that he didn't want to be hurt like that ever again. Once a heart is ripped open you can sew it back together again, but the stitching is weak and easily pulled. It never beats quite as strongly and with as much confidence as it did before. To his mixed relief and chagrin he heard footfall as Sasuke left the room.

'I'm leaving tonight,' Naruto said softly, and the footfall stopped. 'I'm going to a safe house. I have a friend nearby, ex Anbu, who is willing to help me until this thing blows over.'

'Let me walk you there.'

Now Naruto turned, his determination spurring his courage. 'No,' he said firmly. 'I don't want you involved anymore. I don't want to see you again.'

A brief frown flittered across Sasuke's brow, as though a question had occurred to him in the vehemence of his lover's voice.

'What are you so afraid of?' asked Sasuke softly.

The pertinent enquiry jarred Naruto badly, and it was some moments before he could draw breath. In that time, the jet black eyes never left his, although his own eyes were now darkening in colour like a storm brewing in a teacup.

'I'll walk you there,' repeated Sasuke. 'Then I'll go, if you want me to. But I have to know you're safe, because I know better than anyone how dangerous Akatsuki are. So I'll deliver you to your friend. Tonight?'

His hand was on the door. In near desperation to get rid of him, Naruto gave in.

'Tonight,' he affirmed. 'But you're just taking me, there, got it? Then you go. And then I never have to hear from you again.'

Perhaps this declaration sounded stronger than it felt, because Sasuke suddenly looked genuinely sad. He was silent for a length ten seconds.

'It's a deal,' agreed the assassin, and left the room.

The writer turned back to his work, wondering how he was to resolve a plotline when he couldn't even resolve his own tumultuous heart. When the words of his own emotions failed him, he reached for the keyboard and began to type, diving headfirst into a simpler world where there were no more troubles or heartaches than you wished there to be.


	13. Sudden Death One

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Sudden Death – Part One**

The stranger watched, breathing smoke out of his perfectly shaped nostrils into the cold night air. It was going to snow soon. His instincts told him so.

He put out his cigarette on the railing of the balcony and pulled his hood over his wild hair as a defence against the cold. He could never get used to the extreme weather in New York. The fierce cold cramped up his muscles and irritated him. It made him think of when he was younger; when he'd lain in front of a roaring fire with a dear friend in his arms. The stranger shut his eyes as the memory prickled tears into his eyes, shook his head violently to clear the comforting thoughts the coming of snow had stirred up like a blizzard, and resumed his watch.

All the curtains were drawn despite the daylight, and nobody had gone near the window in hours. So it was true then; Sasuke Uchiha had forgone his mission to stay with the client. But what could have caused him to do something so drastic? Sasuke was an automaton, colder than the November chill around him that nipped at his nose like an untrained puppy. The stranger knew X2 was even better an assassin than he, and while this knowledge would have sparked a rivalry, or perhaps even respect in the old days, now it just made him sick inside. Sick to see what his acquaintance had become. Sick to know that he'd become the same thing.

He shifted. '_Not long now,_' he thought. '_Not long until I found out what the hell's going on. I'll head down there when the clock strikes midnight._'

The gun was solid and firm in his hands; reassuring. He would kill the target. And then he would get some answers before killing Sasuke. If at all possible, he wanted to avoid killing him, perhaps talk things out, find out why he'd defected.

The stranger didn't like killing one of his own.

-

At ten to midnight, Sasuke could take the waiting no longer. He stormed from the living room, where he'd sat with his pistol in hand and his foot tapping constantly against the leg of the chair for a long time, waiting for Naruto, into the bedroom.

He was surprised; the kid actually looked prepared for once. A bag was packed, he was wearing dark clothes (probably over something orange, Sasuke had no doubt) and from the padded look of his upper body, which wasn't nearly as sculpted as the black haired assassin, it was probable he was wearing a bullet proof vest. And it could have been Sasuke's imagination, but he could swear there were kunai stuffed in Naruto's pockets. Sasuke smirked. Looked like the kid had raided Anbu supplies before quitting their ranks.

'Is that a kunai in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?' he snorted, unable to resist.

Naruto scowled and blushed simultaneously. 'What did I say about knocking, bastard?' he snapped, spinning around.

Sasuke felt himself smirking even more.

'I've heard of people stealing pens from work, but this takes the cake, dumbass.'

Naruto shoved a kunai further into his pocket, as though this hid it. It didn't.

'Shut up, bastard,' he grumbled. 'You were the one saying I needed to be protected. I'm showing you that I don't. I'm no hitman, sure, but I was in Anbu too ya know. I was as much of a ninja as you.'

Sasuke looked on with affection as Naruto proceed to stuff his laptop into his coat; by now he looked ridiculously puffed up. The assassin was glad that he was still able to continue this back and forth with his ex. The burning inside didn't hurt so much, as long as Naruto still looked at him. Still joked with him. Sasuke recalled vividly one of the first things that had fallen from the kid's mouth, just a few days ago when they'd been reunited. Naruto had said, with a huge smile painted on his face; 'I'm so happy to see you!' Had that changed? Had he sullied that sweet, innocent declaration with his misplaced passions? He sighed heavily, and Naruto looked up.

'Why so glum, _teme_?'

Sasuke ignored him. 'Who are you planning to stay with?'

'I don't need to tell you that,' said Naruto, in an attempt to seem mysterious.

Sasuke shrugged and walked away. 'Whatever.'

'Ah, wait, aren't you curious?' asked a whining voice behind him.

'Nope.'

'C'mon, don't be like that. You want to know who it is, right?'

'_That's why I asked, baka,_' thought Sasuke, but kept it to himself. He continued into the living room with a nonchalant air. As expected, the thundering of footsteps followed him. He cringed. '_Stealth. I have to pick up the dictionary one day and teach it to him, and then beat him over the head with it until it sinks in._'

'I'm staying with Kakashi-sensei,' blurted Naruto, annoyed at having lost the upper hand, and frowned as Sasuke's smirk widened. 'What's so funny?' he demanded.

'You still call him sensei after all these years? You are such a child.' Black eyes flickered back to the bedroom. 'Did you turn off all the lights?'

The room was lit by one lamp, and the rest of the apartment was in shadows.

'Uh huh.'

Sasuke thought for a moment. 'Maybe we should leave one or two on. We don't want them to know we've gone.'

Naruto's face fell, and he moved to a shaft of moonlight falling through a crack in the curtain. Carefully, he peered through the glass pane and into the front of the building spread out below. It was deserted. 'I guess this means we can't just walk out the front door, huh?'

'No shit.'

Naruto opened his mouth to retort and seconds later a hand was clamped over his mouth. 'Mmph!' he said angrily.

'Shut up,' hissed Sasuke, his eyes bright and alert in the gloom. Naruto quietened.

Naruto felt unsettled looking at Sasuke's taut face. Something had clearly jarred him. The blue eyes imploringly asked a question, and Sasuke answered.

'Move,' he said hoarsely.

Naruto squirmed out of his grip. 'What?'

Sasuke's eyes met his, giving him a shiver down his spine. It wasn't often he saw his cool, controlled ex boyfriend look so abjectly terrified.

'Get. To. The. Bathroom.' Sasuke breathed in suddenly, as though he'd forgotten how. 'Lock yourself in there and don't come out until I say so. Something's wrong. I can feel it.'

Naruto didn't understand, and he shook his head. 'What about you?'

Sasuke wasn't listening; his body was frozen to the stop, his hands on Naruto's shoulders and his gaze fixed on the curtains. 'I shouldn't have let you near the window,' he said under his breath, and swore.

The next few seconds didn't happen as they do in the movies, where everything happens in slow motion. To Sasuke's sharp eyes, accustomed to the darkness, the explosion of glass to his right and the shadowy figure of a man leaping through the window at Naruto happened all too quickly.

Shards flew in all directions, and he felt one slice his cheek. Naruto was on the floor, and the shadowy figure was looming over him. A freezing gale blew into the room, making the curtains swirl, blocking his vision. Forcing himself out of a paralysis of shock, Sasuke rushed forward, not caring that glass embedded his feet, and threw himself at the attacker.

They went down heavily, rolling on the glass littered carpet. Momentarily having the upper hand Sasuke shouted;

'Go! _NOW, dobe!_'

Naruto's panic didn't stop him following orders, and he nodded, scrambling to his feet.

The stranger beneath him gave a mighty shove and Sasuke, the lighter of the two, was flung to the ground. As he struggled to get up with the dead weight on top of him, a fist made contact with Sasuke's chin, dazing him slightly. Pain exploded through his already fragile head, still foggy from the after effects of the fever. He saw stars and heard a gruff voice say;

'Where the hell is he? He was right here…'

Sasuke felt relief flood his system, with fear hot on its tail. So Naruto had escaped to safety; for now. But the kid could only run so far. He needed protecting. Careful to be as silent as the moon that shone above them, lighting the room, Sasuke crept his hand into his holster.

The gun was pointed at the stranger's head before he even turned around. When he did, he sighed heavily.

Sasuke felt his grip on the trigger loosen, but only for a fraction of a second. 'So you're the one to come for me,' he said.

The stranger pulled down his hood and stepped forward, letting the pale moonbeams dance upon his tired face. His dark hair and eyes were as feral as ever, but they had lost the kind glow they once held within. Pain and sorrow, never come to terms with, had a way of doing that to people. Sasuke knew better than anyone.

'I should've known one punch wouldn't keep you down, Uchiha,' he growled softly. 'You always were tougher than that. But if you think you can get a bullet out of that gun before I break your neck, think again. I'm faster than you are.'

Sasuke was now smiling wickedly.

'Care to test that theory, Kiba?'


	14. Sudden Death Two

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Sudden Death – Part Two**

Kiba did care to test that theory, and like some kind of nightmarish beast he was all over Sasuke before he could even think of a defence. The gun went off, the explosive sound muffled thankfully by the silencer and the bullet zipping up harmlessly to the ceiling as it was knocked from Sasuke's hand.

He swore again, dodging as Kiba lumbered towards him. He saw another fierce swing coming his way in the gloom and dropped, skidding and tripping up Kiba over his own feet.

They turned back to each other, panting heavily and both armed, at the same time. Sasuke smirked again, noting Kiba's gun.

'I still remember the day,' he gasped, 'when you swore you'd never use one of those.'

An intense glare met his disapproval.

'And I still remember the day you were a decent guy,' replied Kiba. The fur on his coat and his spiky hair rippled in the winter storm brewing up outside, let into the room by the broken window. Despite the fresh air, the smell of tobacco smoke lingered upon his clothes. 'Funny how things change, Uchiha.'

Locked in the deadly game of checkmate, Sasuke suddenly became aware of a sound behind him.

'_Crap,_' he raged silently, '_why can't he ever do what I tell him? Get to the bathroom and lock yourself in…and STAY THERE! Is that so hard? Should I have written it down for him?_'

Kiba grinned, and the in twilight he looked downright evil. Even after all these years it turned Sasuke's stomach to see him like this.

'Looky here,' he said, 'the target is coming my way.'

'If you even twitch that gun in his direction,' warned Sasuke in a dangerously quiet tone, 'I'll kill you before you can kill him.'

'Or I'll kill him, and then you'll kill me,' said Kiba. He didn't sound too concerned about it.

'You want to die that badly?'

'I'll always sacrifice my life for the good of the mission. You know that.'

Sasuke felt his heart miss a beat as a floorboard creaked.

'Naruto,' he rasped, praying inwardly for the kid to stay in the shadows where Kiba's aim wouldn't be accurate. He didn't take his eyes off the other assassin. 'Stay away.' He was surprised; an odd look had come over Kiba's face.

'Did you say…Naruto?' he barked.

Sasuke felt his already tense muscles tighten even further. 'You didn't know?' he hissed.

'Who ever is out there,' called a firm, husky voice, 'I'm armed! So you let Sasuke go right now, or you'll have me to deal with!'

'Oh for god's sake,' said Sasuke, unimpressed.

Kiba still looked horrified.

'Uzumaki…Naruto?'

'Is there any other?' muttered Sasuke dryly.

Kiba looked like he was thinking of putting the gun down. Sasuke saw his hand was unsteady. 'But…our Naruto? He's here? Why would anyone want him dead?'

'Kiba?'

The shocked voice sounded from just behind Sasuke, but to his relief Kiba hastily put down the gun as Naruto approached.

'Is it really you, buddy?' Naruto dropped the knives to the carpet.

Sasuke got to his feet swiftly; still keeping both eyes on Kiba's every move. Naruto stood at his side, looking at their old friend with the same disbelieving joy he'd greeted Sasuke with. Except without as much enthusiasm, Sasuke noted with a hint of triumph.

Kiba just stared. His gun was slack at his side.

'Naruto…it is you, right? I don't believe this.'

The blue eyes were wide. 'I'm glad you're alive, though I kinda figured…after what Sasuke told me…'

'Uchiha told you about us?' Kiba's troubled eyes darkened as he placed his gun back in his holster. Sasuke didn't return the favour.

'Well, yeah.' Naruto paused, suddenly uncomfortable. 'You're really a killer too then,' he said softly.

'Yeah; but I'm not about to kill my old friend,' was the retort.

Kiba's eyes flashed as he spoke, and Sasuke was unable to read the emotion behind them. Either way, it was clear he no longer posed a threat. Before Sasuke could ask him what their next move should be though, Kiba made an odd choking sound. Sasuke glanced at him quickly.

A thin trickle of blood ran down Kiba's temple, bathed in moonlight, and his eyes lost focus. The despair and…relief…in the dark depths beneath his eyelashes was unfathomable. Seconds later his knees gave way.

Naruto cried out and stepped forward to catch him as he fell, but Sasuke grabbed him and roughly pulled him back into the shadows, ignoring his protests. Kiba crumpled and lay still.

His heavy heartbeat pounding insanely in his ribcage, Sasuke tried not to look as a puddle of deep crimson began to seep around the messy dark head like a macabre halo.

'No,' cried a thin voice beside him. 'No…oh god...no…'

It was all over, just like that. It seemed too horribly cruel, too brutally fast. He hadn't heard the shot, nor seen it coming. Kiba's eyes, still open, seemed to be watching them lifelessly from where he'd fallen. A glazy film had descended over his pupils.

His breathing shallow, Sasuke managed to choke out;

'We need to get out of here.'

Naruto made a whimpering sound. Sasuke couldn't stand to look at his face; he knew it would be wet with tears. There would be time for sentimentality later.

'Naruto, listen to me,' he whispered, shuddering as the adrenaline rush pulsed through his veins. 'There's a sniper outside. We're leaving.'

His hand found the kid's, and he squeezed the warm fingers within his own slender grip. As he'd hoped, Naruto responded to the touch.

They took the stairs; Sasuke insisted the elevator would be too dangerous as this point. Just as they reached the third floor, Naruto yelped.

'My laptop!' He turned tail and began to run back upstairs. Sasuke watched in horror. 'I left it in the bathroom along with my stuff; I gotta go back for it!

'Are you crazy? Your life means more than the damn computer!'

'My entire life is on that computer!'

The statement was plaintive.

'Then I'll go back for it!' bellowed Sasuke in impatience. 'For god's sake just stay here! Do what you're told for once in your damn life!'

Moving more swiftly than any panther, he forced his way past the blonde and took the stairs two at a time. He couldn't believe he was risking their lives for a stupid laptop.

Naruto was waiting patiently when he returned.

'Thanks,' he said, taking it into his arms with the utmost care, cradling it as though it were a newborn. 'I never backed anything up. My life's work is on here.'

Sasuke just grunted and dragged Naruto faster than ever down the stairs. From behind him he heard the occasional sniffle.

'Why did Kiba go with you to Akatsuki?'

Sasuke wiped sweat from his brow. He knew why; but it didn't feel appropriate to go into details.

'It doesn't matter now,' he said.

'He wasn't going to kill us. He wouldn't have hurt us.' Though he wasn't facing his ex, Sasuke knew that tone, and he knew the blue eyes were tear filled and glittering with anger. 'I'll kill the bastard who shot him. I swear it.'

They ran silently for several minutes.

'We'll take the back way,' Sasuke said darkly. 'If a building has hookers, it has a back way. Hopefully they won't have lookouts there…but if they do…we're fucked.'

'Hookers?' snuffled Naruto, hurrying to keep up.

-

By the time they made it outside, a light snowfall had begun to fall, muffling the city's noise and corruption under its soothing blanket of pure white. In a high apartment building, the window smashed in and open to the elements, a single delicate snowflake floated in and kissed the cheek of the young man, unmoving on the blood-soaked floor.

-

_Blazing fire, tongues of flames greedily licking at the buildings, scorching it down around him. They were all assembled there; those who had no future. Those who wished to forget their past. Somewhere nearby, someone was crying bitterly. Through the smoke, Sasuke saw Kiba stand from where he'd been huddled over a tiny corpse in the corner of the room. The taller ninja, his face now streaked with tears and soot as well as red paint, was glaring fiercely at the wall. The wall before them; it held a message, a graffiti scrawl; a warning from the enemy, a declaration of war. Sasuke knew the message held more significance for Kiba than it did for any of them. Not because of the meaning or words of the message…but because it was written in the blood of an animal. _

_Tsunade was pale, even in the orange glow that the immense heat was generating. She placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder._

'_Are you in?' she asked, in a strained voice._

_Sasuke watched through the flames, numb with his own pain. He was vaguely aware of Kiba's eyes narrowing. The eyes, almost as coal black as Sasuke's own, moved from the bloodstained wall to the pathetic little furry body, desecrated in the corner. When Kiba spoke, it was with a snarl. _

'_I'm in.'_

* * *

_I know this chapter was kind of depressing; I'm sorry! ___ Please review, and let me know how you think it's going. Love to all of ya!!_


	15. Snow

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Snow**

He trudged forward, the cold air like a sharp smack in the face for his warm cheeks, still pink from the fever. His breath froze in the air as it left his mouth, the snow settling upon his hair and forming little frosty crystals. After a mere few steps the only heat left in his body was in the hand that Naruto still held. He wished he'd brought warmer clothes.

It was just fucking typical, he thought. What they called 'sod's law.' The city where it always rained suddenly decided to branch out to snow, and on the exact day he and the only person in the world he truly cared about had to make a run for their lives. Speaking of him, the kid was making those stupid muffled sniffling noises again.

'Stop crying,' he ordered, without looking back.

Naruto had clearly not taken the death of his old friend well, but Sasuke sensed that a burst of courage had also shot forth from his ex lover; a dormant energy kept hidden until now, trampled by the demands of normal city life.

'I'll cry if I damn well want. Shut ya mouth, bastard.' was the grunted reply.

'Just hurry up.' He suddenly realised he didn't know where they were going, and as though reading his mind, Naruto's husky voice spoke up again through the November chills.

'It's only three blocks down. We're goin the right way.' A large, snorting snuffle sounded that made Sasuke frown and want to pass him a tissue, and then the kid continued; 'do you think we lost them?'

'I think so. Thank god for all the die hard lunatics roaming the city at this time and in this harsh weather,' Sasuke added under his breath. 'I cursed the over population until this moment, but in crowds like this, moving at this speed, we blend right in.'

A guy passing them in the street bumped into Sasuke as he went; their shoulders knocked together, and Sasuke quickly raised his shining coal black eyes, every muscle in his body alight with tension. But no; it was just any other pedestrian with a baseball cap and scarf, hurrying to get home for the night before the weather got too bad. The assassin bristled involuntarily, trying not to picture everyone around them as an enemy, lest he lose his sanity. It was difficult. He'd been trained to picture everyone as an enemy for a long, long time. It was what kept him alive this long.

The guy disappeared, and Sasuke resumed his quick pace, though now he was even more alert than before; painfully so. The hand that held his tightened its grip, and Sasuke knew, despite the tears, that Naruto was trotting along behind him.

-

The snow continued to fall, coming heavier than before, blanketing the steel metropolis in its white wonder. The storm arrived without warning, raising its ugly head from the rainclouds and whistling the first few sweet notes of a blizzard so big it would leave people stranded and snowed in. Lady Winter had slid onto the stage early, wearing her favourite pair of skates and laughing her cold little ass off at every unprepared New Yorker who didn't see her coming.

They reached the stoop of a large house, and Sasuke felt Naruto's fingers squeeze even more tightly than before, knocking him out of his guard-duty mode. He up at the house, noticing it for the first time, and then glanced sideways.

'What? Is this it?'

Naruto didn't answer. Sasuke felt a flurry of excitement, not unlike the swirling breeze around them, as the blue eyes fixed upon his.

'Stay,' said Naruto.

It was one word. How could one word sound so glorious?

'Please, Sasuke.'

Yet hearing the kid say his name sounded even more glorious. It still gave him bluish-white lightning bolts of pleasure that seared through his veins, even after all these years.

'Thought you didn't want to see me again,' he said in a low voice, determined to get some payback for the rejection and shame he'd faced earlier.

A tiny crinkle appeared in Naruto's brow, one arm still crossed over his bulging chest where he held his laptop under his coat in protection from the snowfall. He was bundled up in an endearing way like a blonde Christmas parcel.

'I don't wanna lose anyone else. It sucks.' The aqua depths became light reflecting as tears pooled helplessly within them. 'It sucks to get you guys back after all this time, and then see you murdered right in front of me.' He bit his lip; now looking so adorable that Sasuke restrained the urge to take him into his arms with difficulty. 'It was my fault he died. Don't deny it.'

Sasuke took a deep breath, regretting it as icy air soaked his lungs. They couldn't stand there on the streets in the dark discussing this all night. 'Dumbass,' he muttered. It was little consolation, but it was all he could think of.

'He died, just like that. They just…they just shot him.'

Sasuke's eyes narrowed; Naruto's chest was starting to hitch. He wasn't bawling yet, but he was close to it. 'Let's go in,' he suggested calmly, but what he meant was '_when your waterworks get started you cry louder than a baby, and the last thing we need half of New York alerted to your goddamned howling._'

'I can't do this,' Naruto was saying, his voice getting dangerously loud. His brow was furrowing, his lips pulled past his teeth in a grimace as his shoulders began to shake. 'I walked away from all of this. This shit wasn't s'posed to happen to me anymore. I can't do goodbyes. I kept a goldfish for a while, and it died. I cried for two weeks straight. That's right _teme_; I couldn't even say good bye to my fucking _goldfish_. Are ya gonna laugh at me?' His cheeks flushed, though their colour had nothing to do with the harsh winds whipping against them. 'I liked being in ANBU. I liked knowing I was making a difference, and keeping our little village safe. But ya know what?' Now tears streaked one after the other down the freckled red cheeks, immediately freezing to the skin. 'I liked being normal even better. When I came here and started over I wanted to be a normal guy and forget about you and everything else. I didn't wanna be a ninja anymore. I didn't wanna hurt anybody anymore. I just wanted to make people happy with the one thing I could do…' He shifted the laptop beneath his coat, shivering and gasping and sobbing. A golden lock of hair was matted miserably to his face, sodden from the melting snow. 'Why does someone want me dead, Sasuke? Why? What the hell did I ever do?'

His voice broke on the last word, but it didn't matter anyway because he was silenced as Sasuke's mouth was lowered to his; cold, unyielding lips pressed firmly to his soft ones, moist from tears.

'_That shut him up._'

Naruto's near hysterical sobbing stopped, but the blizzard continued to weave around them as they stood together on the street this way. It was delicious, warm respite for two. Sasuke broke the kiss, and waited for Naruto to open his eyes. His own breathing now ragged, he spoke softly, still but inches away.

'Listen up, _dobe_, because I'll only say this once. I'll stay with you until my dying day, and defend you with my life. Don't ask me why the hell I'd do that for the guy who just turned me down, but it looks like you're growing on me.'

Naruto managed a small wet smile, and Sasuke continued.

'You need to get a grip, because if you let those motherfuckers in Akatsuki get to you and turn you into a paranoid nut job, they've already won. I've seen it before; once a target loses his cool he's as good as dead. Panic makes smart men stupid, _dobe_. Now we all know you're dumb as a plank anyway, so it's my job to stick this out with you and make sure they don't get what they want.'

He stroked away the tears running down the kid's reddened cheek, wincing as the cold bit at his uncovered fingers and trying to push away the thought that Naruto's lips had moved against his as mere imagination.

'We'll stay with your friend tonight and first thing tomorrow I'll get to work finding out who sets this price on your head. Maybe if I'm real lucky I'll find who I'm looking for before then; and then all of Akatsuki will just fall apart from the top down.'

He knew the last part of that speech was a romantic flight of fancy, but it seemed to do the job. Naruto sniffled heavily again.

'Kay,' he said, and the blue eyes roamed over to the house before them. He was clearly uncomfortable at having lost control like that.

'_Now you know how it feels to blurt shit like that out and feel humiliated,_' thought Sasuke grimly. '_We're even._'

'So…who did you say we're staying with?'

One last sniffle. 'I already told you; Kakashi-sensei,' said Naruto in brighter tones, his tears forgotten, and bounded up the steps to ring the doorbell.

Sasuke gaped after him. He'd been too distracted before to listen.

'Oh…no. You're fucking joking, right _dobe_? Please…anybody but that perverted loony toon.'

* * *

_I love all you guys, thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Sorry for the 'like woah; he's dead already'-ness of the last chapter XD It was intended to be shocking. I'm still expecting the hate mail: 'You killed off Kiba? That quickly?? NO!! Evil Mi-chan!!' XD I'm hoping the next chapter will be more light hearted. How can it not be? :hugs Kakashi: Anyways this is the last Hitman update of 08, so again massive thankies for the support everyone. I shall continue to do my best with this fic, so please keep reading and giving feedback!! xxxxx_


	16. Sleepover

_Hi everyone, thanks for your continued readership! Sorry for not updating in so long :D A warm and fuzzier-chappie now to combat the everything that just happened, and everything that will happen. I was thinking of making a coming chapter from Naruto's POV again, what do you think?? Anyways, I hope you enjoy. i'm still doing my best!! *cries* And reviews make me happy :P ~_

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**Chapter Sixteen**

**Sleepover**

The rooms were dark but warm; anything was warmer than outside. Sasuke was relieved when Naruto hit the light switch and the golden glow enveloped the kitchen.

Kakashi wasn't home. He'd told Naruto to use the spare key hidden under the welcome mat on the back porch if he was late getting back. Naturally, he was late getting back. Sasuke was more annoyed by the man's carelessness than his tardiness.

'To leave a key to your home out there for anyone to pick up,' he muttered, removing his jacket, 'is _begging_ to be murdered as you sleep.'

Naruto strolled through to the living room as though he owned the place. After locking the back door Sasuke followed and watched him collapse like a felled tree onto a big, plush couch.

'What's the big deal?' the kid asked, his voice muffled from the pillows and from impending sleepiness. 'No-one knows who he used to be, and no-one cares. He's just a normal guy now.'

Sasuke perched on the arm of the couch, where he had a good view of all doors and windows. It was a natural habit to secure his surroundings. 'I wasn't talking about Akatsuki,' he said. 'I meant your everyday robbers and psychos. This is New York, for God's sake. I think you guys forget that sometimes; we're not in a secluded little village in the woods any more. This is the real world.'

'If they wanted to rob you they'd break in anyway,' Naruto pointed out, and Sasuke ignored him.

He observed the house with detached interest. It was spacious but not huge, decently furnished but clearly not expensive, and clean but mildly untidy. It was obviously a bachelor pad; stacks of playboy and God knows what other filth were filed upon a huge mahogany bookcase in the far corner by the TV. Sasuke pulled a face. In his opinion porn was for the losers who were too lazy or unskilled to find a real person to satisfy their needs.

Naruto looked up and followed his gaze.

He brightened. 'Ooh, reading material.'

Sasuke felt a smile curving his lips as Naruto trundled over to inspect the collection. He'd felt like smiling a lot lately-yet more proof that he was losing his mind. Who the hell would want to smile under these circumstances?

'I wouldn't touch those,' he warned. 'Not unless they have easy-wipe laminated pages…if you catch my drift.'

Naruto's hand stopped inches from retrieving one of the magazines. His face went beautifully blank for a second as he tried to work out Sasuke's intended meaning, and then he pulled back in revulsion.

'Oh, I get it. Ew.' He scanned the shelves. 'Ah, would you look at that,' he said affectionately. 'He's got the entire Make-out Paradise collector's edition.'

'You're the only person I know who could make that sound sweet,' Sasuke remarked, coming up behind him. 'Why are you interested in this kind of stuff anyway? I thought you were into fine literature now.'

Naruto laughed; a very strange laugh that made Sasuke shoot him a curious glance.

'What's so damn funny?'

'Nuthin.' He grinned easily. 'Apart from the fact that you can never be too old for porn, I guess some of my own stuff is kinda smutty. What can I say? All those nights spent with you gave me a wealth of inspiration.'

It was one of those moments were Sasuke realised he didn't know Naruto anymore. Maybe he'd never known him in the first place. The guy standing before him wasn't a kid anymore, not really. He was still cute and funny-that would never change-but he'd grown up. He was intelligent…well, more intelligent than before. He was a writer. And then-

'I'm starved,' said Naruto, heading for the kitchen as cheerily as ten year old who's mom had just called him for dinner and not a man being hunted within an inch of his life. 'Where the hell is the fridge? If I don't get food soon I'll eat you, _teme_.'

Sasuke smirked. Just like that, he was the old Naruto again.

'Oh no,' wailed a voice from the kitchen. 'Where's the ramen? He hasn't got any ramen? What kind of person doesn't have ramen?' He made it sound as though the offense should be punishable by death.

-

It was nearly four in the morning when Kakashi finally came home. By that time Naruto was dozing on the couch, his head resting lightly on Sasuke's shoulder. He hadn't been able to find ramen, but he had emptied the contents of their old teacher's fridge. They sat together, side by side aimlessly watching something on TV, and when Naruto drifted off Sasuke didn't want to wake him; at least he was no longer crying about Kiba. He kept vigil by himself, one hand always on his holster, heightened senses alert to every sound in the house, although his heart rate was thrown off by Naruto's breathing so close to his. He was very aware of his own pathetic neediness for this sweet, simple domestic bliss.

When the front door closed with a click, Sasuke stiffened. His hands closed around the gun and without even moving his head his eyes wandered across the room and rested on the doorway. He waited, still as a statue, wishing he'd muted the stupid TV, when Kakashi's voice called softly from the passageway.

'I'm back! Made yourself at home yet, Naruto?'

He was speaking to them in fluent English. Sasuke relaxed. He eased his hand from the gun and gently slapped Naruto back to consciousness. He wasn't about to suffer alone.

'Wake up, dumbass. Kakashi's home.'

The man himself strolled into the living room, and if he was surprised to see Sasuke, he hid it well. Even with the familiar black mask that used to hide his mouth and nose gone, Kakashi's countenance was as expressive as a Noh mask. Only the top half of his face gave anything away; and that was hindered by the patch he wore over his left eye. Everyone had heard the story; it was the result of a rival ninja clan's attack when they heard a rumour that Kakashi had special powers. Bullshit of course, but no-one had told the ninja who had snuck up on the teacher in the dead of night and jammed a kunai through his eye. It was a miracle it hadn't pierced his brain. Sasuke sometimes wondered if it had. It would explain a lot.

The slight lifting of Kakashi's eyebrows suggested he was entertained with the situation before him.

Sasuke felt a blush creeping up his cheeks, and hated himself for it. Only two men could ever cause that blush; the one holding on to him and groaning as he woke up, and the one who was managing to laugh at him without ever opening his damned mouth.

'I didn't expect to see you,' said Kakashi calmly. 'We were told you were dead.' The eyebrow inched up further as Naruto yawned against Sasuke's chest. 'Back together, are you?'

With difficulty, Sasuke shoved Naruto away.

'None of your damn business,' he retorted, and delicately punched Naruto's arm.

'_Wake up, for Chrissake! Give me some back-up here!_'

Naruto blearily blinked his baby blues from Sasuke to Kakashi, and then smiled.

'Hey Kakashi-sensei,' he said in an amiable voice partly caused by sleep, partly caused by the joy of reunion with his favourite teacher, and partly caused by the four beers he'd had while fridge raiding. Sasuke's complaints that he wasn't old enough to drink had been met with; _yeah, like you don't_. 'You're late.'

'I have my reasons,' Kakashi said, slipping out of his kaki green winter coat. He was as slim yet well built as ever. 'You didn't say on the phone you were bringing a friend.'

'Yeah, it was a last minute deal,' admitted Naruto, yawning again and scratching the back of his tousled blonde head. 'He doesn't have to stay if you don't want him to.'

'_Thanks a lot, dobe, I'll just ask the homeless guy outside if he minds sharing his cardboard box,_' thought Sasuke with irritation, as Kakashi chuckled.

'It's no problem, the more the merrier. You can stay, Sasuke. I'm glad to see you.'

Sasuke glared. They were making it sound like a casual sleepover, whereas the truth was closer to the witness protection programme. He was frustrated by how casual they were acting. Was he the only one who fully comprehended the danger?

Kakashi took in the empty potato chip and candy wrappers strewn about and closed his eyes in a patient smile.

'Seems I didn't need to tell you to make yourself at home. You're as troublesome as ever, knucklehead.'

It was a nickname from the old days, when they'd been kids. Sasuke had stayed up til late defining his already well developed skills into deadly precision while Naruto had run around their village like the poster child for ADHD, painting graffiti on every surface he could find and generally making enemies of most of the teachers at their exclusive training academy. Kakashi had been the only one to give him a chance, seeing the potential behind the wild nature.

Naruto grinned at the nickname. It was more pleasant than dumbass, at least. 'Can I take a shower, sensei?'

'Sure. I'll make you two up separate beds in the guest room. Unless you want to stay down here, Sasuke?'

The enquiry was evident in his tone, and again Sasuke felt himself flushing. Naruto seemed unperturbed as he got up, stretching.

'It's cool, sensei. I want him to stay up there with me, that way if a guy from Akatsuki shows up and starts shooting I have a fifty percent chance of not being the first to die.'

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

'I see,' said Kakashi lightly.

'Um, sensei.' Naruto hesitated in the doorway and turned back. 'What is it you do these days? I haven't spoken with you since you moved here.'

'Me?' Kakashi smiled that serene smile again. 'I'm still in the education profession. I'm now a gym teacher at the local high school.'

Silence.

'Oh!' said Naruto, and went upstairs.

Sasuke, not wanting to be left alone with Kakashi, brushed past him. 'You're just a lawsuit waiting to happen,' he muttered, and followed Naruto.

-

Dawn was ready to break as Naruto crawled into bed. Sasuke noted with annoyance that he'd brought his froggy shirt with him. The blonde noticed him staring.

'You don't get a say in this anymore,' he murmured, sitting cross-legged on the pillows and pulling at the t-shirt. In his relaxed state he'd reverted back to Japanese. 'I'm not your boyfriend, so ya can't emotionally blackmail me into taking it off.'

Sasuke rolled over on his futon, his back to Naruto. 'Whatever,' he muttered.

He didn't feel like sleeping. He was so wired he doubted he'd ever sleep again. Especially under the same roof as-

'You and Kakashi-sensei never get on,' said Naruto, in his peculiar way of divining Sasuke's exact thoughts. 'How come ya don't like him, huh _teme_?'

Sasuke pushed his cheek further into the softness of the futon, his fingers gripping the covers tightly. In the darkness, his eyes blazed. He had lot to think about. The tomorrow that had somehow turned into today all too fast was upon him, and he had to take responsibility for what was going to happen from now on. He had to contact-

He froze as Naruto's arms wound their way around his chest. The blonde wriggled against his back until comfy, and sighed, making the hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck stand up.

The assassin could only stare into the gloom, wondering if he was dreaming. He'd been so determined not to think about Kakashi that he hadn't noticed Naruto crawling into bed with him.

'Why are you…?' he hissed in a husky voice, taken off guard by that strong, unique and provocative mix of woody and oriental aromas, with fresh herbal notes of rosemary and ginger. Apparently the infamous aftershave had travelled too. It was doing unspeakable things to his system, inhaling it up close, and he was very glad that he was facing away from Naruto. Very glad.

'Let me stay like this,' was the mumbled reply. 'I feel safe with you.' And with that, he nestled even closer.

Sasuke shivered, and the arms around his chest increased their grip. What was he, some kind of human shield? A comfort blanket to blot out the hurt of losing a friend all over again? Or was there another reason…but no, he couldn't torture himself with that again. Being shot down in flames once was enough for any guy.

Sleep, his all too elusive friend, had evaded him yet again; and as always there was only one reason. When he was sure that Naruto was asleep, he covered the hands that encircled his chest with his own, and whispered to the far wall.

'You…manipulative…bastard.'


	17. Mixed Signals

_Hm. I intended this chapter to be serious and get the pace majorly moving again, but that got shot to hell along the way (laughs) I am going somewhere with this, and its going somehere big, but I think my need for fluffiness and humour gets the best of me on occasion. What the hell. It balances out the angst, if nuthin else. Anyways, second update of the night! Squee! :D reviews? (gazes at you hopefully)_

_This particular chapter is dedicated affectionately to all the purple prosers out there. I love you guys!! ;)_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Mixed Signals**

Morning broke, drizzling sunlight through the blinds and rousing Sasuke into that delicious state between waking and dreaming, where worries and logic seem very far away and the only thing you're conscious of is the sound of her own steady breathing and the warm thumping of your heartbeat in your ears. He allowed himself a long minute of imaginary suspension in the cloudless summer blue skies where the sun beat down on him and the breeze gently caressed his hair, before dropping down to reality with an unpleasant crash. Piece by piece, like an ugly jigsaw, the previous night came back to him and he recalled where has was and why he was there.

He blinked at the white ceiling, and sat upright so fast like a corpse from a coffin that the figure next to him cried out and jumped a mile.

'Fucking hell Sasuke,' yelped Naruto, having dived half out of the futon onto the floor, 'you scared the begeezus out of me! For the love of all that's holy; don't _do_ that!'

Rubbing his eyes, Sasuke groaned. He wasn't a morning person. When you spent so much of your life in a state of constant alertness, falling deeply asleep had the same effect as being slammed in the back of the head by a cinder block. His eyes, once focused, peered over at his companion, who was picking himself up and taking his seat again.

Naruto was sitting beside him in the futon, cross legged with his laptop open. Judging from the words filling the screen, he'd been writing for some time. He caught Sasuke staring, and folded it closed just enough to make his work invisible.

'I was trying to type quietly,' he said, still breathing deeply from his scare. 'Sorry if I woke you up.'

'S'okay.'

'You can go back to sleep if you want, you're still not totally over your fever. I can tell.' He observed Sasuke with concerned oceanic eyes. 'I had Kakashi-sensei go out to buy you some flu medicine. It stopped snowing outside, and he said he was going shopping anyway.' He grinned. 'I think I raided most of his supplies last night.'

Sasuke grunted something unintelligible. Used to this kind of lack of communication in the morning-and heck, most of the time-Naruto shrugged and went back to his work, leaning close to the screen so that Sasuke couldn't see it.

The assassin didn't care too much. He was pretending to be grumpy, but it was just a protective shell for what he was feeling. Naruto had not only slept with his arms around him all night, but he was now sitting beside him, working away as though nothing bad had ever happened. He had the run of the house, but he stayed next to Sasuke's sleeping form to work. Why? Something deep within the soul of the raven-haired young man began to hurt.

Desperate for a distraction he craned his neck over Naruto's shoulder and dived into the unknown waters of his ex-lover's work.

It was beautiful. Sasuke was impressed at how skilled the author was at weaving such a fine tapestry of art. He gazed fondly at the blonde head beside his before returning to reading. How did all that information and creativity come out of that thick-headed skull, he wondered? There was an issue, however. His love scenes might be the most horrendous thing ever.

As Naruto bit his lip, his soft typing ceasing as his fingertips hovered across the keys as though unsure where to go next, he heard a snuffle beside him.

He quickly shut the laptop, and turned to Sasuke nervously. 'You gonna sneeze on me or something?'

Sasuke shook his head. His hand was pressed over his mouth, his brow twitching and his shoulders shaking. It took Naruto a long while to fathom that he was laughing.

'Is something funny?' he asked archly, and the note of threat in his voice was clear as a bell.

Sasuke let go of his control, moving his hand over his eyes and snickering.

'I cannot believe,' he wheezed, 'that you actually…wrote the words…_throbbing manhood_…'

Gales of laughter came out of nowhere and shook him from head to toe.

Naruto indignantly pursed his lips as though he'd eaten a lemon. Through his tears of hilarity, Sasuke snatched the laptop from his arms.

'Hey! Give it back!'

Fending the blonde off easily with one hand, Sasuke read ten more lines and howled.

'Pleasure gate?' he repeated gleefully, holding the computer just out of Naruto's flailing reach. '_Hot wet tumult of love?_'

'Give it!' roared Naruto.

By now laughing hysterically, Sasuke just fell back onto the pillows still holding the laptop with the offending material, and Naruto went down with him, landing chin on chest.

'Quit making fun of me!' he growled, but even his lips were starting to twitch. 'Give my computer back!'

'Why?' choked Sasuke helplessly, 'so you can add how he thrust his one eyed trouser snake into her pink taco and they rocked the kasbah?' Naruto's defences were beginning to cave in; he was fighting the impulse to giggle. 'Or how he put his sex into her sex and they had sex…God…who the hell p_ublished_ this shit?'

The last few words were barely audible; he was sputtering and laughing so hard. Naruto began to chuckle at the sheer absurdity of the situation and they laughed together, holding each other and giggling like a couple of idiots, until their funny bones were all tickled out and the amusement subsided.

Sasuke began to cough. Such release, such a reaction had shaken his body; he didn't laugh too often. He never laughed. When was the last time he laughed like that? As he lay there with Naruto on top of him, wiping his blue eyes and grinning down, he wondered if he'd ever laughed like that in his whole life. He cleared his throat, and handed the laptop back.

'Take it, _dobe_. Just promise me you'll never show that to anyone...ever…'

Naruto smiled and took it back, but his gaze never left Sasuke. He was quiet for a moment.

'You're gorgeous when you laugh,' he said.

Sasuke smiled back weakly. 'Don't kid around.'

'I'm not.' He put the laptop to one side of the futon and shuffled forward slightly. Through the rays of strengthening sunlight his froggy t-shirt was nearly transparent, and his fine hair took on an angelic radiance. 'You look sexy as hell when you laugh. So…carefree. You oughtta do it more often; it looks good on you.'

Sasuke stared up stupidly. His sense of humour had just died and gone to hell.

'I'm just saying, that's all,' said Naruto, and climbed off him. He stuck the laptop pointedly under the mattress of the bed, and shrugged out of his shirt. Though perhaps not male model material, Sasuke knew from experience how soft that lightly tanned skin was. The tattoo was glorious too-the one just above the navel. When he used to run his tongue along it he could feel the beginning of a six pack rippling beneath…he wondered if that smooth skin still tasted the same now…

This time when Sasuke sat up, he did it much more slowly than before. Naruto was still wandering around the room, collecting stuff from his overnight bag ready to shower. Sasuke heavily suspected he'd packed the kitchen sink in there too.

'Why are you messing with my head?' he asked, and immediately cringed.

'_Oh crap. Nice one. I'm turning into a woman. No, God help me, it's worse than that. I'm turning into him._'

Naruto appeared confused, the aqua eyes slightly wounded. 'Huh?

Sasuke licked his lips, gathering himself. He tried to make his face as impassive as Kakashi's, but he knew the heat in his cheeks and the anger and hurt in his eyes let him down. 'Just now. Saying I look sexy as hell.' His mood was worsening more by the second as he realised he was in the right. 'And earlier, slipping into my bed and clinging to me all night long. What's up with that?'

Naruto paused in pulling his shower gel from the bag, a frown knitting his brow.

'I can handle it if you saying you don't want me, but you've got to make up your mind, _dobe_. Either you do or you don't. You can't say you've moved on and push me away one minute, and then be all over me like a damn rash the next.'

Now it was unmistakable; Naruto was mad. The room seemed to have gotten colder despite the dawn.

The blonde gave an unpleasantly derisive snorting laugh that was entirely out of character for him, and stormed out of the room.

'Maybe now you know how it feels,' he snapped, and slammed the door.

Sasuke found himself, not for the first time recently, utterly speechless.

-

The _buzz buzz_ of the ring tone hummed in his ear. Sasuke shifted his bowl of cereal-he missed a traditional Japanese breakfast like crazy-in his lap, and waited impatiently. After sixty seconds there was no answer, and he hung up and swore loudly.

He slammed the cell onto the counter and chomped morosely on a spoonful of chocolate hoops. As if it wasn't bad enough that Kakashi didn't have any decent food, apparently he didn't have any grown-up food either. Yes siree, Kakashi and Naruto would get along fine, thought Sasuke in irritation. They could stay up late eating candy and junk food and reading porn and chatting about how the city was so safe they could leave their keys outside and their windows unlocked at night, yuk yuk yuk. Sasuke scowled.

He knew he was being childish, but didn't care. He had given up his aim in life, his highly paid job and sweet lifestyle, and for what? A stupid kid who thought it was okay to humiliatingly reject him and then spoon him ten minutes later in the dead of night, and play writer when he didn't have the faintest clue what _hot and steamy_ meant despite being tutored by King Sasuke himself, the master, who had given him long sessions of such incredibly mind-blowing passionate explosive-

Sasuke nearly suffocated as a chocolate hoop went down the wrong way, and quickly gulped at his milk. He hated milk too. He hated everything, the way he was feeling. He heard the water stop running and knew Naruto was stepping out of the shower upstairs. Not that picturing his ex naked improved his mood; it just stimulatingly danced over all of his already madly aggravated senses like a nymph with a cruel sense of humour. He pressed the cool glass of milk to his hot cheekbones, wondering dully when he started to get so damn emotionally involved, and flipped his cell open again.

This time he wrote a quick message, and pressed send. He'd altered the wiring long ago so that no-one could ever trace any of his calls, but sending a message was dangerous. Still, he didn't have much choice.

He had to ask _him_ for help; the one and only member of Akatsuki who was more arrogant and condescending than he was, and yet the only one with a shred of decency in him, now that Kiba was gone.

Neji Hyuuga.

And, unsurprisingly, Sasuke fucking _hated_ him.


End file.
